Butterflies
by Zixzs
Summary: Simply a fluffy series of family-friendly Stevethyst drabbles. Ch. 9- Curiosity- "The movies usually get that part right. It is pretty darn nice. A fun way to show someone how you feel about them."
1. Warmth

Oh, hello there. Didn't expect any visitors.

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Warmth_

 _After a tiring escapade chasing a Gem through the winter snow, Steven helps Amethyst warm up._

One word could describe the night. Well, probably more than one word, but Steven didn't have too large of a vocabulary, admittedly. Regardless of how extensive his vocabulary was, Steven thought one word summed up the entirety. Looking out at the frozen twilight laid before him, Steven took a deep breath, fogging up the window he pressed his nose up against.

"It's so _calm_."

"Yeah, speak for yourself, buddy," Amethyst bluntly remarked, still shaking the snow out of her boots. Stomping on the boards so as to rid the rest of the ice still attached to her feet, she strode up beside the young boy, taking a glance out the window. Even if she wasn't explicitly touching him, Steven could feel the total lack of heat emanating from her shivering skin. He supposed the snow still adorning her coat didn't help, nor did the frost packed inside of it. Seeing Amethyst rub her hands together with a labored breath, Steven unlatched one of the hands holding his blanket to his body, offering it outwards. "Wanna-"

Before he could say more, the violet Gem was already grabbing the blanket tighter than she had held on to the Gem that buried her in snow in the first place. She didn't rip it from his single remaining grasp, instead falling on the ground next to Steven with a graceless thud and using her other arm to toss away her frozen coat. It splayed outwards, flinging small flecks of ice and snow across Steven's room. His room was already a mess anyways, so Steven didn't really mind. As the cloth hit the ground with a disconcerting _thud_ rather than a soft _thump_ , Amethyst took as much of the blanket around herself as possible without taking too much from Steven. With the blanket only having so much coverage, Amethyst was forced to sit a little closer than intended to Steven in order to give both Gems enough to remain warm.

Steven looked at Amethyst, taking a brief note of how quickly her shivering had ceased. "Warm enough?" he joked to her. As if to answer, Amethyst sighed with her relief, relaxing in a way that could've been defined as melting. She hummed a quick yes, evidently enjoying the touch of something _not_ soaked to the core with frigid water. It made Steven try not to take his more fortunate results of the mission for granted; the only snow forced into his winter attire had been the one snowball Amethyst had decided to put down the back of his shirt. At the time, Steven thought her accidentally stepping in a snow drift a couple feet deeper than assumed was an interesting act of justice. That would make them even, more or less. Not one to hold a grudge, Steven used his now free hand to reach over and grab the steaming cup of hot chocolate Pearl had so graciously made for him earlier.

"Want some?" he offered again, holding out the marshmallow-filled drink. Five of the sweets lazily floated on the surface; just the right amount.

Amethyst opened one eye from her relaxed expression to look at the cup. It _was_ an attractive offer. And like most attractive offers, she took it up without much thought. Still, she forced herself to slow down just a little to avoid being rude. Rather than rip the mug out of Steven's hand, she took it graciously, a little grateful that he shared her views on the perfect amount of marshmallows. Glancing at the melting treats, she looked back up at Steven, noting the color still flushed in his cheeks and nose. Amethyst didn't have to look in the glass's reflection to know she likely had it worse than he had, though she still thought his willingness to share was as nice as it was unsurprising. And maybe a little sweet, but she had a reputation to uphold. To keep her brain from getting the opportunity to ruin years of work, Amethyst took a long drink of the chocolate. Eventually, she lowered the cup from her lips, hoping she left enough for Steven.

"Man," she began, wiping off the excess chocolate from her upper lip as she handed the drink back. Steven took it carefully, trying to sneak a glance at its contents without being too overt for the sake of politeness. Thankfully, there was still a fair amount to go. Putting it back at his side, Steven looked back at Amethyst's flushed face, some of the color fading as she warmed up. "I thought _I_ was supposed to be taking care of _you._ 'Preciate it."

Steven grinned, finding Amethyst's relief more warming than the drink he just put down. "No problem-o," he granted with a mock salute. Amethyst briefly laughed, then looked back out at the same winter landscape Steven just surveyed. Since he didn't have too much experience being what most people would call _subtle,_ Steven thanked the weather for being so eye-catching before outwardly following Amethyst's example, turning back towards the glass that kept the heat in and the cold out. He hoped he wouldn't offend the weather by not paying too much actual attention, despite what his eyes might've conveyed. Steven slowly rose his arm back into the warming sheet wrapped around both Gems. Amethyst didn't seem to take note of this, talking further.

"Still, I guess it's not _too_ bad." The Gem sighed, looking up at the moon. After the rather stimulating mission everyone endured, cozily sitting around and warming back up was a welcome change of pace. Warming back up with Steven, even more so. Amethyst half-consciously rubbed the rest of the chill from her forearms, some of the night's natural sedation beginning to take effect. "It might be cold as all heck, but at least-"

Amethyst stopped abruptly, feeling a relatively heated touch on her shoulder. Confused, she looked towards the contact, and found Steven's hand wrapped around her. Rather confidently, she might add. Feeling the rest of Steven's arm across her back, the violet Gem turned back towards him, finding him with a wide smile. By now, she would've assumed that the blood in his cheeks would've left. Surely he was warm enough. Amethyst wordlessly looked at the boy beside her, who still held his jaw in a tight grin. Admittedly, it kind of contradicted what his hand had implied. Not having much to say, Amethyst continued looking at Steven in silence, awaiting an explanation, assuming he had one.

Honestly, it didn't look like he did, as much as he probably wanted one. Steven's eyes began looking around purposefully, suddenly finding it a little more difficult to look at Amethyst's. Eventually he understood that she was waiting for words, not some grand gesture of removing his grasp.

"I just figured," he started, attempting a casual tone. He doubted that was an accurate description of his voice, unfortunately. It was probably more correct to describe it as shaky. Still, he forced himself to continue. "Y'know, you looked cold and all, and I remembered reading something about huddling together for warmth, and..."

Steven uncertainly trailed off, hoping that he was just over-analyzing such a little action. At the moment, he couldn't really visualize that. Just before he removed his arm in defeat, Amethyst suddenly unlatched her fingers from the blanket to move her own arm around him, much more enthusiastically and much less subtly. Needless to say, Steven was a little surprised himself. He was even more surprised by the laid-back expression adorning Amethyst's features, finding it rather contradictory of her grasp.

"'Course," she said, still trying to adhere to the calm tone of her expression. "For warmth and everything. Obviously."

Steven couldn't really tell if she was joking or simply trying to downplay the reciprocation of her own arm, but either way, Steven enjoyed her grasp. Now with a lot more _real_ confidence, the young Gem contracted his arm ever so slightly, carrying a kind of softness that was usual with these kind of moments. By comparison to his own skin, Amethyst still felt a tad cold; however, that meant he felt warm, so Steven wasn't going to let go any time soon. Amethyst, reading this, didn't offer any complaints. Instead, she allowed herself to relax a bit further, naturally leaning up against Steven. The tension in the blanket surrounding them might've caused that, but the effect ultimately mattered little. Amethyst only hoped that wasn't too obvious. According to the persistent smile on Steven's face, she was wrong about that. To be fair, subtlety wasn't exactly her forte.

For a while, the Gems simply sat in silence, taking a mute agreement to enjoy the sight offered before them. True to Steven's earlier statement, it was definitely calm. The dark clouds that coated the landscape in white had long ago left, leaving their offering for the night to take care of. Admittedly, the snow might've been only a few measly inches deep, but it was enough. Stars gleamed in the sky, twinkling freely in that chill silence that could only ever be found in the winter time.

"Could be worse," Amethyst inaudibly muttered, absorbing some of the serenity.

Steven nodded, still smiling. The cold had left a while ago, but he still held on to the Gem beside him. It wasn't too often he could simply lounge about with Amethyst _and_ savor the moment without any underlying problems to worry about. Steven glanced at Amethyst, finding her eyelids just a little lower than usual. Quietly so as to avoid disrupting the peace too severely, he asked a one word question. "Tired?"

After a bit of a delay, Amethyst turned her gaze back to him. "Nah," she said through a drawn out yawn. Another delay, and then Amethyst realized how convincing her answer was; that is, not at _all_ convincing. The violet Gem forcefully shook her head, trying to erase any fatigue in a similar manner to kicking the snow off her boots from before.

"Not tired," she tried again, a bit more enthusiastically. "Definitely not drained from the mission. Nope."

"Totally," Steven agreed. He nonchalantly took a sip from his hot chocolate, taking a silent note of how offset Amethyst's eyelids were from each other. Why would she be tired after running after a Gem beast through the snow for over an hour and then fighting for another one? Of course she wouldn't. Steven moved the steaming cup over just a little bit for Amethyst to take; not to revitalize her, but just to be polite. The cup stood in its place as a hand refused to grab it. Steven doubted it was because Amethyst's hands were full.

"Don't want any?" he quietly said, already moving it back to its place before receiving an answer.

All Amethyst offered was a quiet "Nah" that didn't seem too aware. She sighed again, more of her weight leaning on Steven. Her chill skin would normally be something of a white-noise by now, though Steven still felt it with as much awareness as there was when touching a hot stove. That wasn't to say he wanted to rapidly draw his hand away from it. Steven accepted Amethyst's lean, slightly moving his arm to more comfortably accommodate her. He was aware of her eyes being shut long before he turned to confirm that much. The last thing Amethyst said was a slurred "Not tired..." before she fell silent. Steven let out a soft chuckle as he returned his eyes back towards the snowy landscape outside, warmer than ever. He hoped he wasn't insulting Pearl by assuming he wouldn't need the rest of his hot chocolate for a while.

* * *

 **A/N:** Whoa hey! You clicked on this! Maybe even on purpose! Yeah, this is really just a collection of random drabbles involving my two favorite Gems. I wish I could expand more, but that's really all there is to this, lol. There's a great deal of variance in these drabbles (both the content and the quality, OOPS I'M INCONSISTENT) but they all have a thing in common; those two quartz/one quartz and one Diamond enjoying each others' presence. Some of these are gonna be romantic, some are gonna be fluffy, some are gonna be intense, some aren't _gonna make sense,_ and... well, you're on this website, aren't you? You know how these things go.

 **If you have any ideas, I'd be more than happy to hear them!** I'm not the most punctual of individuals, but suggestions (or even basic feedback) go a long way in speeding up the whole writin' process.

I'll get to it now, lol. I hope you enjoy these, whether you ship these two Gems or not. Have a good one!


	2. Contact

**A/N:** This might be my favorite drabble so far, if only because it's _fricken' long as heck, yo._ Didn't expect this to take up so much space, but you know how these things go. Hope you enjoy!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Contact_

 _While searching for a new television, Steven and Amethyst come across something a lot more dangerous._

As far as the day looked, it wasn't so bad. That might've been expected to a Gem when they lived on a beach, but Steven thought the sky could've been worse. The last few streaks of sunlight of the day gave the sky a pleasant orange hue, almost glowing with radiance. Just like yesterday, no clouds could be seen from the window of Steven's room, providing him a clear view of the empty landscape before him. He really did appreciate when nature decided to throw away any obstructive curtains. Not a single thing could be found in the sky; no passing planes or even occasional news-chopper tried to take the gray-blobs' places.

So _why_ on _E_ _arth_ wasn't his television working?

Frowning, Steven surveyed the static on the screen with a thoughtful palm on his chin. Despite what the open sunset might've implied, his television couldn't seem to catch any kind of signal. Cycling through the many other channels he didn't bother reading confirmed that it wasn't simply a problem with one specific station; every arbitrary number provided the same boring _*ksszzhh*_ accompanying the same boring specks of black and white. Since he was smart, Steven had turned on his TV _before_ the finale of _Crying Breakfast Friends,_ but accounting for any unscheduled schedule changes would be useless if he couldn't watch at _any_ time. And with each passing minute, it was becoming more and more imperative to fix whatever problem his television had spontaneously decided to throw in his way. Steven hummed, racking his brain for a possible solution, when a sudden _*THWACK*_ resounded off the box's side.

Unperturbed, Steven continued looking at the screen, giving it a couple seconds.

"Any luck?" Amethyst said half-heartedly, shaking her hand. She stepped back a moment to see if her impact had any, well, _impact,_ hoping that the fifth time was the charm. For a brief moment, some degree of color _did_ come back, offering the image of some odd cartoon Steven never bothered watching. Just as his eyes widened, the image left, being replaced by the same drab snow that had just filled the screen. Steven groaned, throwing up his hands in defeat once more and burying his face into his bed.

"Dang, thought we had it that time," his friend said, snapping with a frown. A minor grimace appeared on her features momentarily after, her hand still a little sore from the repeated collisions against the side of the box. Amethyst put an irritated hand (the other one this time) on her hip as Steven muffled "Me too," through his bedsheets. Some quiet seconds passed, then Steven came up for air with a gasp. After his breath, he glared at the static on the television, pointing an accusing finger at the screen. "Why won't you _work?"_ he jabbed, as if the television had gone out of its way to malfunction at precisely this time. Given its normal reliability, Steven thought so. Sighing, he turned towards Amethyst. "You don't think Peridot is trying to put that tower back together again, do you?"

Amethyst, lost in the impressive amount of brown paint adorning her knuckles, looked at Steven. She was about to question what he was referring to before recalling the whole "communication tower" fiasco that happened so long ago. Doubting that Peridot was going to retry anything like that any time soon for a number of reasons, Amethyst shook her head. "Doubt it," she said, still grimacing at the TV. A minor imprint about the size of Amethyst's fist was slowly forming on its side. "Man, this could be bad. I was just getting into the show, too."

"I _told_ you it gets so much better after the first season," Steven lamented. Even more grief fell into his statement when he recalled Amethyst was also eagerly waiting the finale. "That's just when they show all the characters."

Nodding, Amethyst stepped back to take a closer look at the television, absentmindedly turning some knobs in case violence somehow _wasn't_ the answer. Crazy concept, she knew, but she was willing to try anything at this point. The respective menus appeared on the screen above the static in response to the dials, but didn't do much besides distract Amethyst for about a half a second. She thought for a moment, then inquisitively turned back toward's Steven's determined frown. Being himself, he wasn't too successful at being intimidating, but he appeared to stare down the television regardless. Amethyst cataloged his expression for future reference before opening her mouth.

"One last time?" she offered, shrugging. Admittedly, Amethyst probably should've known more about things like TVs after living around them for so long, but to be honest, breaking things apart was more her department rather than putting them back together or fixing them. That was usually left up to Pearl. Steven pondered Amethyst's words, assuming she was referring to a sixth punch against the television. Even he could tell that repeatedly hitting it didn't seem to accomplish much, but he ran out of patience around the fourth strike. With one final groan, Steven thumped his head back into his bed, giving a thumbs-up to Amethyst.

Receiving the okay, Amethyst nodded, now glaring at the device in the same manner Steven had. If it wanted to be stubborn, then Amethyst would follow suit. The Gem cracked her knuckles, reciting the television's last rites in her head, and took a step back.

Steven became a bit confused when nothing occurred following the loud snapping of Amethyst's hand. Just before he raised his head to question what she was doing, a loud * _CRACK*_ resounded in front of him, and the white-noise of television static faded out entirely. Startled by the noise, Steven quickly jumped his head up to see what had just happened. He didn't _actually_ see what happened, but given the way Amethyst was now lying on the ground and the size of the dent in-

"Whoa!" Steven exclaimed, startled again by the interesting angle the top of his television was bent at. Rather than use her fist like the first five times, Amethyst apparently decided that simply hitting the box wasn't enough and instead kicked it. Two boot prints evidenced that she _drop-kicked Steven's television_ in trying to get it to work again. The television now leaned inwards from the side, like a shy bystander skirting around others. No noise came from the box now, the screen filled with empty black. The most to contrast that was the white of the cracks stemming from the screen's glass, not really wanting to conform to the new shape Amethyst had forced onto the television.

After assessing the sizable amount of damage to the television, Steven turned towards Amethyst, who looked like she was doing the same. She appeared to realize that the blackness didn't come from Steven hitting the "off" button on the remote before looking back at him silently. An embarrassed blush now filled her cheeks as she looked about purposefully. "I mean, the static's gone," she muttered, faking disinterest.

Steven inhaled loudly, drawing in a large amount of breath usually preceding a lengthy argument or even shout. Being unsure of which one she was going to receive, Amethyst grimaced, bracing for either inevitability. Then Steven plopped his head down again, deflating in defeat. He didn't say anything, simply exhaling into the cloth over a surprisingly long time. Amethyst didn't make any move to get up from the floor; normally, this would be the part where she ran to avoid consequences, but being interested in what the television had to offer herself, a rare feeling commonly known as _guilt_ kept her from going anywhere.

Now without the constant sound of static filling Steven's room, Amethyst waited for Steven to empty his lungs entirely before getting up with a sigh. She stepped hesitantly towards him, feeling like someone filled her boots with concrete. The worst part was that Steven didn't make any effort to be angry or even upset. Not being able to see his face might've helped, but Amethyst liked to think she's known Steven long enough to read his body language fairly well. Still maintaining the quiet, she sat down next to her defeated friend, taking a brief hesitation to pat his back.

"Uh," she began awkwardly, looking out at the setting sun. Steven wasn't even looking at her and she _still_ couldn't move her eyes to him. "...sorry."

Steven mumbled something incoherent with a wave of his hand, refusing to raise from the sheet's soft surface. Amethyst, not hearing him, bent down a little lower with a confused "What?"

Evidently, Amethyst _could_ read Steven rather well, as he didn't groan or seem to show any kind of blame. Both of which were rather common when breaking someone's things, speaking from Amethyst's experience. Her friend sighed, then planted his hands beside him to lift himself up. He gave Amethyst's apologetic features a patient smirk, shaking his head like the destruction of his television was a necessary evil. "It's alright," Steven admitted with a sigh, now moving to sit on the edge of the bed like Amethyst was. "Guess I watched too much TV, anyways."

Amethyst, noting the pleasant lack of distress in Steven's voice, lightly laughed. "No such thing," she said with comical austerity, thanking whatever powers that might be that Steven was the way he was. Still, she observed the remains of his television with a small frown. It almost felt like murder; she's seen so many shows on that thing, it was practically part of the family. Noting the odd way she managed to get the side of it bend outwards _as well as inwards,_ Amethyst sighed. "Man, I really did a number on that thing, didn't I?"

Steven nodded, looking at the damage alongside her. Maybe the prior hits weakened its side, but managing to do as much damage as Amethyst did seemed almost impossible in just one kick. "Kinda impressive, honestly," Steven admitted, now looking at the TV in a new light.

Amethyst snorted, a smile finding itself on her lips. "Gee, thanks," she said in a mock-flattered tone, rolling her eyes. Over-doing it would probably hide the unexpected amount of actual flattery she found in Steven's simple statement. After making a mental note to write down the exact time and date Steven had called her impressive, Amethyst flopped back onto his bed, looking up at the wooden rafters above her. "Guess you're gonna need a new one, huh?" she said, sprawling her arms out. If she'd known Steven was about to copy her, she would have kept her arms at her sides. Without the warning, though, Steven dropped backwards onto her outstretched arm, copying her position. Steven didn't say anything about that, admitting that a new TV would now be a little appreciated while also looking upwards.

Then, noticing Amethyst's silence, Steven turned his head towards her's, finding her with an odd stare. Odd because, well, yes, she was _staring,_ but also because she was staring at him. Steven looked about for a moment, then opened his mouth to speak. Before any words could leave his mouth, however, Amethyst snapped, like a sudden idea had struck her. "Tell ya what," she said suddenly. Her words seemed almost too fast, but Steven assumed it would've been rude to focus on that. "I think I probably got one in my room. A TV, I mean. Wanna check? If we're fast, we might be able to still catch the show."

Steven blinked before responding, some inexplicable interest being found in Amethyst's expression. "Sure," he said after a pause, sitting back up. As he looked back at the sad remains of the television, Amethyst looked at her arm. Though his contact was brief, it was almost... comfortable. That was probably a little weird, considering the exact positioning. Ignoring it, Amethyst sat back up alongside him, putting her hands on her knees with a slap. "O-kay," she drew out, giving Steven a determined grin. "Shall we?"

Steven nodded dutifully with a matching dutiful hum. "We shall!"

* * *

"I forgot how big your room is," Steven said after a whistle, taking in the surroundings. With most of the substance of Amethyst's room consisting of random odds and ends she's collected over a considerable amount of time, Steven imagined the actual _room_ part of her room was a lot smaller than assumed, but it was impressive nontheless. He thought he was a bit of a pack rat when it came to holding onto random junk, but he was downright wasteful compared to Amethyst. As the Gem hummed a prideful agreement, she stretched her back, evidently having a lot more of an understanding about how big the room was and preparing to dive into the depths of it. It only took a few steps to pass from the relatively cleaned area she more-or-less tried to keep in front of the door into the mounds of junk.

"You comin'?" she asked, already forced to take a larger step around the left half of a sofa.

Steven, after making a note of how much balance it must've taken to get the tower of junk before them that high, nodded, following Amethyst's path through various magazines and empty soda cans. He assumed that she would be the best one to know where everything was supposed to be, considering this was _her_ room, but previous escapades through the cavern evidenced otherwise.

"Any idea where you would keep the TVs?" Steven voiced, trying best to follow Amethyst's footsteps. Having about the same shoe size helped. Amethyst made to answer, but abruptly stopped with a yelp when her next step placed her about knee-deep in an unassuming pile of newspaper scraps. Noticing this, Steven moved forwards a tad faster to help her, then tripped over what he assumed to be an old bike lock.

A few moments of colorful language later, Amethyst stepped back to re-evaluate where the most reliable path lay before turning around to see Steven lying motionlessly on the ground, not unlike his earlier defeat on his bed. Sighing, Amethyst carefully made her way back to help him up, starting to understand why Pearl got on her case so often to clean up her room. Before she could put a hand on him, however, Steven threw himself from the ground with a loud gasp. He made no move to actually _get up_ from the ground, now investigating something on the surface in front of him. Amethyst followed his eyes, and saw he was looking at some old disc.

"I was _wondering_ where that went!" he suddenly exclaimed, picking up the shiny copy of "Lonely Blade" he had failed to return so long ago. Unfortunately, the disc had seen better days, having a sizable crack that threatened to break the rest of it in half. Recognizing the disc after a few moments, Amethyst "Ohhhed," recalling the odd movie.

"Yeah, that thing," she downplayed, hoping Steven wouldn't remember who had taken it into her room in the first place. Thankfully, he didn't seem to concern himself with that, being too surprised at actually finding the disc. He made to pocket the item before realizing it would probably work better in one complete piece. It was difficult to tell which side was the bottom, it was so worn away. Tossing the disc away with a sigh, Steven stood back up, nearly cutting his hand on some broken picture frame lacking a picture.

"You really have a lot of stuff in here, Amethyst," he said to the Gem, taking another look around. At first, Amethyst took his words as a compliment; then, realizing that meant a lot more searching to do, took it more as an unfortunate reminder. Not her fault that people made a lot of things. After a bit of a delay Amethyst used to reassess her room, the Gem looked around for the most stable hill of junk; that equated to the one that wobbled the least. She strained her eyes, hoping for some good vantage point that would offer a clearer view of the surroundings. They certainly weren't going to see too much from where they were. As Steven absentmindedly looked for any other rentals that became purchases, Amethyst strode towards a more promising junk pile that had a fair amount of foundation.

Steven, after making a note to avoid the seemingly innocent pile of paper that tricked Amethyst, followed her, sizing up the tower himself. It seemed the most recent, judging by the more modern soft-drinks poking out of the pile, but still had a fair amount of height to it. Amethyst appeared to notice both the pile's height and sodas, taking one of the cans out and peeking at its contents. Since she was the same Gem that routinely ate things like motor oil and silverware, Steven wasn't that surprised when she drank whatever was left in the can before tossing it away. He doubted she even bothered to read the date printed on it before she began scaling the pile.

Following the tin as it bounced off other empty containers (which were in surprising quantity, considering everything _outside_ of them), Steven moved to a more flat area of junk to survey. Most scraps laying around had some degree of various cords or electrical wiring that denoted a television, though further inspection revealed these to be simple remotes and old game-system connections. Nothing in the immediate vicinity seemed to look like a television aside from an odd egg-sized device on the end of a chain, and there was no _way_ Steven was going to watch the greatest television finale to date on a screen he could count the pixels on. He begun looking under some ironically out of place trash-bags before Amethyst called for his attention. Confused by where her voice came from, Steven looked up, finding that Amethyst, among many other things, was rather proficient at climbing.

"How's the weather up there?" Steven jokingly called up to his friend. Though she was only about twenty or so feet up, the random debris falling down onto the other random debris already on the floor was a little noisy. It seemed the pile Amethyst had decided to climb was mostly old drinks and other snacks Steven never heard of, creating a cacophony of clinking that one rarely heard in their lives. Amethyst shrugged indifferently at him, though he could veritably feel the grin on her.

"'S not so bad," she yelled back, taking another look around. There was still a bit of a distance to reach the top of the pile, but it teetered in a more precarious way than usual, meaning Amethyst wasn't about to test it. While looking for any box-shaped object that could hopefully play broad-cast signals, another shiny object caught her eyes. Well, one within her reach caught her eye; there were plenty of shiny objects just laying around. Some of them were even valuable. Amethyst muttered her fortune about finding another one before grabbing another surprisingly clean soda can, making sure the footholds she more-or-less kicked into the junk would stay secure. After a bit more tugging than she would've assumed, the soft drink was ripped free from its confines, almost throwing Amethyst from the spire of garbage.

Just before she was about to enjoy the fruits of her labor, a thought struck Amethyst, and she looked back down at the boy below her. Steven had evidently tried to follow her example, looking for a more advantageous position to scour the room for a TV, but didn't seem to take to climbing as well as she did. To be fair, it's not as though this was the first time she's taken to the top of some tower of trash. Allowing herself another minute or so of watching Steven attempt to climb the neighboring trash pile, she whistled to him again. She then felt a little bad for distracting him the one time he actually managed to get solid ground. At least he didn't appear too miffed about sliding back to the floor once more. Amethyst waved her hand to him, still clutching the drink.

"You want some?" she called, cupping her free hand around her mouth. Steven squinted, trying to discern what she held from a good distance away. Recognizing the color, Steven's eyes widened, a small grin finding itself on his features. He waved back at Amethyst, calling out "Yes!" with a thumb up, though he didn't know if Amethyst could see that much from where she was. Judging by how _he_ could see her raised thumb, he thought so. Steven was about to move to the base of the tower Amethyst had scaled before he heard her shout "Catch!"

Given that Steven was currently looking for the same places Amethyst had used to climb, he was a little slow to look back towards her. Still, he's lived with her long enough to be somewhat used to her abrupt actions, so Steven was a little quicker than most to raise his head. This allowed him a brief view of a gleaming soda can before it struck against his forehead with an interesting _*WHACK*,_ throwing the boy off his balance. If the floor had resembled anything flat, he might've been able to stabilize; however, it was a little obvious that Amethyst's room wasn't flat, so Steven came tumbling to the ground, thankfully not falling on anything too dangerous.

A few moments passed. Steven half-consciously heard the can bounce a few times before rolling to a stop somewhere by his feet. The other thing he heard was a distant apology from Amethyst followed by a large amount of clinking. Groaning, Steven rubbed his head, already feeling a bit of a bruise forming. A heavy thud could be heard somewhere nearby before Amethyst suddenly entered his vision, appearing worried. She asked something, though the words sounded a bit slurred to Steven. He assumed it was the standard "Are you okay?" before humming a yes. According to Amethyst's relieved sigh, that was the right answer. Steven was torn between commenting on how good of an arm she had and thanking her for getting a full soda, and ended up saying "Thanks for the good arm," in complete seriousness.

Amethyst paused at this, some worry returning to her features. "You _sure_ you're alright?" she asked again. He nodded, waving off any concern, though still looked only half-conscious. Blunt head trauma usually did something along those lines, speaking from unfortunate experience. Remembering that there was a soda to be had (not that Steven was going to forget anytime soon) revitalized him enough to bring about the rest of his brain, and he made to get up to the ground before stumbling a fair amount. The amount ended up being enough to warrant help, causing Amethyst to put a cautionary hand on his own for the extra balance. She heard him slur together another gracious "Thanks" as his other hand found her's. Not being the usual one to help meant Amethyst still accidentally allowed a bit more stumbling than intended, though Steven didn't seem all that unappreciative. The boy shook his head one final time in an attempt to clear his head, nearly falling on Amethyst in the process.

The short Gem glanced skeptically at her friend, starting to wish she found an emptier can to give to him. "You're fine," she said with about as much conviction as an indecisive hypocrite. Her statement was more self-reassurance than anything, but Steven didn't appear to notice that, instead nodding his head again. He took a few moments to recuperate, then nodded one final time with a lot more determination than previously. Sensing that evidenced he was _actually_ fine, Amethyst sighed in relief, apologizing again about the lack of a heads-up. She didn't intend to peg the can so hard at him, though gravity had other plans. Simply dropping it could've been enough.

Steven still made no effort to be remotely upset at Amethyst (something she considered to be one of his best personality traits, among a few others), instead grinning and finding an interesting amount of humor in the situation. "Death by soda isn't the worst way to go," he said with a shrug. After a moment, Amethyst shrugged similarly, having some difficulty listing the downsides. Both of the Gems laughed, already forgetting about how they were going to explain Steven's oddly shaped bruise to Pearl. Maybe that was a little weird (the laughing, not the explanation), but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.

After a good amount of chuckling, Steven quieted, still looking at Amethyst with a bit of a persistent grin. She wore a similar one, though her expression was suddenly directed downwards before beginning to fade. Confused, Steven followed her eyes, and found his hands still grasping her's, and vice versa. The fact that their initial contact had an obvious purpose was probably why its continuity felt a little more out of place. The "out of place" feeling wasn't helped when Steven discovered he didn't really want to let go. Recognizing that was a little weirder still, he told himself to let go, then promptly didn't. He, alongside Amethyst if his peripheral vision wasn't fooling him, simply stared at both of their hands in some odd pause. Almost a hesitation.

"Soda!" Steven exclaimed suddenly to disperse the awkwardness of removing his grasp so abruptly. Amethyst, startled regardless if he had said something or not, jumped, then followed his purposeful steps towards the can without bothering to move herself. He moved with an odd stiffness, though Amethyst was too busy trying to figure herself out to try and figure her friend out. Steven, forcing a smile on his features, nearly stomped towards the drink that dropped him in the first place and bent down to inspect it. Any information about it was received well after his eyes met its side, the last bits of inexplicable apprehension trickling away slowly. At least the soda appeared to be one of the more favorable flavors, making it easier to distract Steven from something as simple as his friend's hands. The young Gem forced himself to speak, as though it would solidify the fact that it was completely normal to touch Amethyst (which it was definitely supposed to be). "Orange? Nice!"

Reaching towards the drink, Steven heard (or rather, felt) Amethyst approach. Before Steven could turn back to her, triumphantly holding her gift in hand, something fell on the drink. All Steven could see was some black _thing_ before the drink seemed to disappear before his very eyes, gone in a barely recognizable flash. Up into thin air. Now staring at the nearby junk that it might've been pulled into, Steven heard Amethyst's footfalls stop a bit further than normal, the Gem holding some kind of disconcerting silence. He didn't pay it much mind, too busy looking at the spot where a soda can just was.

"That was... weird," he said to himself, unsure of what response was usually applied in this situation. Not many things tended to disappear so suddenly, and with Amethyst being right behind him, he doubted she swiped it before his own eyes. Given that awkward pause the two shared, that was even less likely. Amethyst was evidently aware of the pause, audibly fidgeting in a way usually deemed uncomfortably.

"Well, y'know," she uncertainly began, assuming Steven's words were concerned with that hesitation rather than the sudden disappearance of the soda can. What he said certainly fit the situation. "I was just- tryin' to help you up. Didn't, uh, mean to-"

Steven, only half-consciously hearing his friend, waved absentmindedly behind him, saying he wasn't talking about that. Normally, he might've, but he was a bit preoccupied at the moment. Still staring at the place he assumed his drink was taken, Steven cautiously stepped towards the junk pile, feeling someone else's presence. Beyond Amethyst's, he meant. After a moment, Amethyst noticed he _wasn't_ weirded out by her own grasp (or, at the very least, he refused to acknowledge how atypically odd it was) and followed him carefully. She was a bit hesitant to speak, but took to his example and ignored the small ordeal for the time being.

"What is it?" the violet Gem asked, trying to peak around Steven to see what he was so suddenly interested in. From the way he was walking, Steven looked like he was trying to get a closer look at an animal without startling it. His apparent avoidance of stepping on anything noisy contributed, as did the abrupt way he took to a hushed tone.

"We got the slinker already, right?" he questioned quietly, still not daring to take his eyes off the unassuming junk mound before the both of them. Amethyst, having forgot about that odd Gem creature from so long ago, was a bit slow to recall it, though Steven's cautious nature helped jog her memory. As did their surroundings. She nodded, stating that the thing ought to be floating in a bubble not too far off. Unfortunately, Steven seemed to be acting otherwise, stepping with a wariness that could rarely be found with the boy. It didn't help to abate the new kind of tense feeling felt in the air. Amethyst begun getting a similar impression about feeling something else's presence, and strode with Steven's slow pace. On the surface, nothing looked too out of the ordinary; just more of the old junk that populated the room's majority. It was the fact that the pile of junk was large enough to hide something within it that was unnerving.

Now within touching distance, Steven stopped, still eyeing the pile like it was about to spring up. Amethyst didn't think that was too unusual. For a few moments, both the Gems stood, waiting for whatever was within that pile to make the first move. It didn't, being about as inactive as a pile of garbage could be assumed to be. Then, as if mentally prodded by both of their stares, an orange liquid slowly seeped from the mound.

Steven moved his stare from the pile to the shiny substance. "...guess it likes soda t-"

Without warning, the pile exploded upwards, some undefinable force turning the junk into shrapnel. Steven raised up his arms to shield his eyes, instinctively jumping back a small distance. Whatever resided within the remnants of garbage had made a rather large show of its existence before retreating further back into the room, an unrecognizable blur of black. Understanding that he was fine, Steven quickly dropped his arms to get a glimpse of the creature, not paying much mind to the falling junk around them. All he could witness was the brief glint of light likely reflecting off the Gem of the sudden infestation. A thought occurred to him, and Steven turned his head back towards Amethyst, finding her more than a bit surprised at the unexpected guest.

"Are you okay?" he asked his friend, about instantly. She nodded, still looking at where the mound of junk was just a second ago. How long had that thing been there? The last time Amethyst was in her room (coincidentally, alongside Steven _then_ , too) wasn't that long ago, meaning the Gem had to have been rather recent. Or maybe Amethyst just never noticed it. Having ample hiding spots within the junk in her room made the latter more realistic, though it was still a little insulting to her pride to think something with such a diametric view of the word _subtle_ could stay hidden for any length of time. Eventually, Amethyst realized that they should probably deal with the creature rather than let it roam freely, assuming she wanted her room back. Trust her, she did.

Steven apparently thought likewise, looking back at the escape route that had been forcibly cut into the junk of Amethyst's room. It wasn't too clean of a cut. A new kind of determination was worn on his features; a rare sight, but kind of a good look for him in all honesty. Amethyst briefly thought how much of a shame it was how often Steven refused to revert to seriousness before he spoke up.

"We're gonna have to deal with that," he admitted through a drawn out sigh, a lot more accepting of responsibility than Amethyst was. A few moments passed as the last bits of junk knocked up into the air fell back down with their respective _*clinks*_ and _*dinks*_. Amethyst, pretending to be distracted by the falling objects around her, eventually sighed herself, understanding Steven was right regardless of whether or not they cared about Amethyst's room enough. Considering how they were currently going to need something within it, dealing with that Gem creature was a bit more important at the moment.

"Guess so," Amethyst shrugged, trying to get in the "serious" mindset of a mission. With only Steven in the immediate vicinity, that was a bit of a tall order for Amethyst. Then again, being near him made seriousness a rare commodity; the fact that Pearl and Garnet were near the two was usually irrelevant, anyways. Still, she attempted to copy Steven's austerity, noted how it was usually the other way around, and put her hair into that shorter ponytail that usually accompanied those "serious" missions. Amethyst muttered how they just wanted a stinking TV before feeling Steven's gaze on her.

Whatever attempt to be serious was gone on his features, as he now looked at her with a kind of blank expression. Not much could be identified, though the way his eyes were fixated on her seemed a bit out of the ordinary. As would be expected, Amethyst gave Steven a few moments to explain himself before prompting him to do so.

"What?" she questioned, eyebrow raised. "Something on my face?"

After another few moments of Steven staring in silence, he shook his head. Though it could've been interpreted as an answer, Amethyst felt like it was more of an effort to clear his head than anything else. Judging by the quick "nah" that came after, she read him fairly well. Steven returned to the abrupt mission the Gems found themselves in, but not before explaining in a tone quieter than usual.

"Just a good look for you, is all," he nearly muttered, now facing back towards where the Gem was. He didn't give Amethyst much opportunity to respond, as though he couldn't really hold a conversation about her aesthetics. Steven was already thought of as a nice person (to put it bluntly) so Amethyst shouldn't have been too surprised by his compliment. The keyword was _shouldn't._ Amethyst was a bit surprised regardless, an apparent warmth being felt on her face. She gave her friend a lingering look, not really sure how to respond. A brash "I know it is" would probably be the most characteristic, but forming that response felt a little more difficult than usual at the moment. As a result, Amethyst wound up asking "What's that s'posed to mean?" with a rather obvious smile. Hopefully her small laugh was a little less obvious.

Following Steven as he found the clearest path that their target had taken, Amethyst gave him another few moments to respond. She didn't get the idea he was hesitating; more like he was mulling over his answer. His accompanying hum confirmed Amethyst's assumption. He turned back to her suddenly, now having a smile similar in caliber to her own.

"Exactly that, I'd say," he explained, offering a hand to lead her over the trash he didn't have too much trouble clearing. Amethyst looked at the open palm for a moment. A few quiet seconds passed, then Amethyst took it with a shake of her head. A bit of a grin, too, but the subsequent laugh could probably suffice on its own. She didn't make too much of a deal about stepping over what couldn't have been more than a foot of miscellaneous junk, instead pooling her efforts towards appreciating her friend. In all honesty, it was more natural than forced. All Amethyst said was a quick "Thanks," to his minor compliment, making a mental note to keep her hair up more often. This thought was placed next to the note of Steven calling her impressive earlier. Now grasping his hand tightly, Amethyst followed after Steven, hoping that they wouldn't have an excuse to let go for a while.

* * *

Unfortunately for... whatever reason Amethyst had to enjoy her friend's grasp so thoroughly, the Gem creature didn't decide to go too far. Finding it was a fairly easy task; much like its initial show of existence, the creature didn't make much of an effort to cover its tracks. The path it took was swept nearly clean, meaning Steven and Amethyst didn't have to worry about more uneven terrain or obtrusive junk. That made their shared contact just a little more noticeable, though neither mentioned it. All Amethyst had was about a minute or two to herself to wonder how something as simple as a hand could induce so much of a grin before Steven stopped, straining his eyes just a tad.

"Hold on," he said, now crouching down low. Not seeing their target herself, Amethyst was a little hesitant to follow his example, but trusted him enough to do so. She assumed he could feel its presence more than she could, given how her brain was currently a little distracted. The culprit of her distraction looked around cautiously, still making no effort to relax his hand. After a few turns of his head, Steven's back suddenly straightened.

"There." Steven pointed to one of the many junk piles of Amethyst's room, though it didn't appear to be worth much more inspection. The fact that it lay a little behind them confused her as well; she would've assumed the Gem was at the _end_ of the trail that it cut into her room. Further inspection revealed that the mound Steven indicated _was_ a little different than the rest, albeit subtly. A small hole could be seen in the pile, the displaced junk laying next to it. Evidently, the Gem had taken to hiding once more; however, now that they knew it existed in the first place, Steven could identify its location with a little more ease. The boy grinned, looking back at Amethyst's impressed expression.

"Good eye, Holmes," she complimented, now focusing on the Gem's hideout to avoid any further surprises. Steven, after the obligatory bow of thanks, did the same, slowly approaching the mound. Amethyst followed after him, noting how neither of them really had a plan of attack. Being one to usually wing it, Amethyst was fine with that. Steven apparently took after her in that regard, simply summoning his shield with no real flourish or emphasis. Realizing a weapon would likely be useful, Amethyst pulled out her own with her free hand, the other still clutching Steven's. Both Gems stepped closer and closer towards the pile, the occasional crunch underfoot amplified by both the quiet and the tense sensation in the air.

Standing before the pile, Steven glanced at Amethyst one final time, his grip tightening for just a moment. Amethyst reciprocated, nodding with a determined expression. If the creature was as large as the junk before them, then, theoretically, it wouldn't be too much of a challenge. However, Amethyst didn't want to risk underestimating the target. Steven, after a preparatory count to three, raised his shield. Then, with an obligatory grunt of exertion, swept as much of the junk aside as he could in one strike.

Amethyst wasn't given much time to react; just a second after the junk was cleared, a blur of black swept upwards, knocking away Steven and tearing his grasp from Amethyst. Startled, she yelled his name, then barely managed to dodge another swipe of black. She stumbled for a bit, trying to regain her footing and make sure Steven was okay at the same time. The Gem forced otherwise, launching another attack with surprising speed. A distant "I'm okay!" allowed Amethyst enough time to jump back defensively, though she could still feel the sharp sting of the Gem's contact. Angered by the creature for hitting Steven anyways (as well as removing his grasp) Amethyst lashed back with her whip, not quite sure what she was aiming for. Despite lacking a target, she managed to cut into the jet-black material that appeared to serve as the Gem's body. It wasn't too perturbed, following up with another lash. Amethyst jumped back again, now attempting to gauge the creature.

The first thing she noticed was that it was dark; nearly a shadow. While that could explain how the Gem hid so easily before, the size of it contradicted that evidence, nearly towering over Amethyst's less-than impressive height. Maybe it was the lanky nature of its limbs that made it easier to hide. Amethyst noted the odd asymmetry of the Gem before rolling to the side to avoid a sudden haircut. The sound of a heavy _*thud*_ drew her eyes beside her, and she saw Steven stumble back to the ground next to her. She was about to state her relief at how he was still okay before forcefully pushing his head down, ducking underneath another swipe from the Gem.

"Thanks," Steven quickly said, "And that Gem's definitely corrupted." Considering how disproportionate the Gem was, with its neck being about as long as its _three_ other arms, Amethyst was tempted to give a sarcastic comment. Steven made a mental note on the location of its Gem, that being on the sharp protrusion that could likely be defined as a head, and turned back to Amethyst with that same determined expression from before. "Ready?"

Amethyst, hearing the creature hiss, nodded, clutching her whip tightly. Steven hummed in acknowledgement before jumping into a sprint towards the creature, Amethyst alongside him. The two fell into a slide just before reaching the Gem, ducking underneath another swipe of the Gem while Steven raised his shield to block a crushing blow. Amethyst didn't let the loud _*thrum*_ resounding off the shield get to her, leaping back to her feet and slashing sideways.

Though her aim was directed at the vital-looking neck of the creature, misjudging its height caused her whip to lash across the small epicenter of its body. Enough damage was done regardless, causing the Gem to hiss in pain. Steven took advantage of its distracted state to jump off the ground himself, attempting to use his floating ability effectively.

Thankfully, practicing in secret paid off, as he now hung suspended in the air far longer than physics usually dictated. The corrupted Gem appeared surprised by this, though still attempted another swipe at him, taking off a sandal. Amethyst, noticing how the Gem was currently distracted, took a moment to aim her next strike before cracking her whip across the creature's legs. Another loud hiss of pain resounded from the sizable cuts, and the Gem clutched both hands together to bring them down on Amethyst. The slippery surface of an unread magazine made moving in time nearly impossible, but Steven thankfully saw the Gem's attack in advance before throwing his shield with as much strength as he could muster. The weapon cut into one of the raised arms; or rather, _through._

One of the creature's misshapen hands floated in the air for a brief moment before dissipating into an odd black smoke. Everyone, including the Gem as well as its attackers, stared at the area where a hand used to be. The corruption turned towards Steven, who was still floating in the air. Eyes wide, he shrugged at the Gem.

"Sorry?"

With a much louder and angrier hiss than previously, the creature turned towards Steven and threw one of its remaining hands around his ankles. Steven yelped at the cool touch of the creature before feeling a sudden increase in weight. Apparently, the corrupted Gem wasn't expecting gravity to function so suddenly on him either, meaning he fell on the ground rather than being slammed into it. It hurt regardless. Realizing it was still holding onto him, the Gem made to raise Steven back up before a whip wrapped itself around its leg.

Amethyst pulled as hard as she could, yelling at the creature to let go of her Steven in a tone more flatteringly angry than usual. Unfortunately, the Gem only stumbled rather than being knocked back to the ground, though it still gave Steven enough time to summon another shield and slam it into the thinner bit that he assumed was a wrist. The shield didn't cut through entirely this time, but it was enough to break the creature's grasp.

Now furious, the Gem hissed into the air, whipping around towards Amethyst with its arm splayed out. Amethyst supposed that mathematically, she was bound to get hit eventually before the hand slammed into her side, throwing her into another nearby trash pile. She wasn't given Steven's luxury of being knocked into a pile that consisted of mostly old beanbags and ruined carnival prizes, instead landing in a mound of old furniture and books. Hardcovers.

Amethyst rolled to the ground with a cough, clutching the arm that absorbed most of the impact. Steven yelled her name, swiftly scrambling up and running towards her. The Gem attempted to stop his movement, slamming its damaged arm in front of him, though he vaulted over it without much thought.

Thank goodness, Amethyst didn't appear to suffer anything too fatal. Steven didn't enjoy being able to tell the corrupted Gem was strong from its damage anyways, a fair amount of cuts being etched into her bare arms from where the sharper edges of junk had been forced into her skin. Steven frowned in concern, half-consciously raising his shield to prevent another strike from the creature.

"Still okay?" he asked, a blatant worry in his voice. After another cough, Amethyst gave a half-hearted thumbs up, telling him "Never better." Her eyes grew wide for a moment before she used a trickle of her strength to hurl herself at Steven, knocking them both to the ground as a swipe barely cleared her hair.

"If I give you another stupid soda, will you stop!?" she yelled at the Gem, still on top of Steven. As if considering her answer, the Gem hesitated for a moment, not making any indications of attacking. Steven looked at it, perplexed. Being less optimistic than he was made Amethyst realize its intent a lot sooner, and she briskly rolled off of Steven. She used her momentum to throw her whip around the creature's lanky neck just as it made to run, being caught in the nick of time.

Amethyst wrapped the other end of the whip around her leg before stomping on the cord, digging her boot into the ground as deep as possible. Still clutching the whip's handle for good measure, she turned back to Steven, who scrambled back to a standing position.

"Wanna _deal_ with that thing please?!" she exclaimed; not that she was angry at Steven, but keeping the Gem from going anywhere was a difficult task when she likely weighed less than half of it.

Steven gave about five more confirmations than necessary before running back at the creature, ignoring the burning in his legs. Though it might've been a bit more intimidating when the creature was hissing so noisily, Steven jumped back up at it anyways, hoping to harness that floating ability once more. The Gem thrashed as much as it could, trying to grab at the whip and tear it, before feeling another weight much higher on its neck, nearly at its head. Steven held on to the Gem tightly, chastising himself for still being a little lower than intended. With time being of the essence, Steven wasted none of it in shimmying up towards the creature's neck, his gaze fixated on the dark crimson jewel at its apex.

After another fair amount of thrashing, the Gem seemed to realize his intent, suddenly stopping. Amethyst frowned in confusion at the sudden relaxation felt in her whip before the creature threw itself forward with all of its might, tearing the whip from Amethyst's hands. It being wrapped around her leg, Amethyst wasn't too surprised (well, not any more surprised than the sudden loss of her whip) when her leg was thrown out from underneath her. Thankfully, she wasn't taken _with_ the whip, but the way it was forcibly unraveled wasn't exactly pleasant. The creature grabbed hold of her weapon, ignoring Steven's climbing for the moment, and turned rapidly back towards Amethyst before chucking the whip back at her. Steven was intrusive enough that the creature's aim was a little off, causing the weapon to cut through the junk a few feet above her rather than _her._

Much as Amethyst would've loved to taunt it, the pain in her leg kept her on the ground rather than standing with a bit of a rude gesture directed towards it. She groaned, stating again that all they wanted was a dumb TV, then heard an unusual creaking above her. Steven surprised himself by being able to hear it above the creature's own constant hissing, and looked towards the noise. Disconcertingly, the pile of junk above Amethyst teetered from the impact of her whip, moving back and forth as if to fall. This would be far less worrying if the mound was made of soft or even light objects. However, Amethyst being slammed into it prior let her know that there wasn't a single soft thing in that pile. Neither was there a _light_ thing. Steven stopped his shambling up the creature's neck for a moment to summon another shield.

"Heads up!" he called to her, though it was a little unnecessary considering she was still lying on the ground. As the top of the junk pile inevitably toppled over, Steven threw his shield as laterally as possible, managing to wedge it in place just above Amethyst. Whether or not she heard him, Amethyst was startled by the impact before a cascade of debris bounced off the shield's surface and harmlessly fell onto the ground surrounding her. As a rain of old drawers and random halves of chairs splintered around her, Amethyst thanked Steven graciously. Then the words caught in her throat as she saw the Gem creature turn its attention back to him, clawing and swiping.

It was scary how instinctively Amethyst got to her feet, the violet Gem instantly breaking into a sprint towards the creature. "What'd I just say 'bout my Steven?" she yelled defiantly. Without much thought, she leaped at the Gem's body, trying to force down as many arms as possible in the mother of all bear hugs. Steven would've appreciated her effort (and her words) if he had the time to. While the creature continuously tried thrashing about, Steven finally made it to its head. He thanked the fact that it lacked much of an actual mouth to avoid any biting, and firmly planted his hands on the red Gem. The creature's hissing somehow grew _more_ agitated and panicked, evidently not being much of a fan about what came next.

Amethyst, eyes shut tight in a brace, held herself as close as possible to the Gem's black body. Then, all the tension and strain she could feel in the excess of arms suddenly ceased as she heard an obvious _*POP*_ above her. For a few moments, the Gem swayed oddly, starting to be taken by gravity. Steven yelled a triumphant "Got it!" either to her or the air itself just as the black body _*poofed_ * into nothing but dust and sparkles.

Not having anything to grasp, Amethyst fell back to the earth below, exhaustion finally taking hold of her muscles. She would've sighed in relief, but the following impact of Steven falling directly on her forced out the air she would've used a lot faster than intended. She could hear Steven try to apologize before he groaned along with her, feeling the fatigue that they had ignored for the better portion of the fight.

After another lengthy exhale, Amethyst more-or-less told him she didn't mind too much, butchering the English language in a way that Pearl would usually lecture. To be fair, speaking coherently was a little low on her priority list. Amethyst rubbed her forehead, swearing that she was going to check every nook and cranny of her room _daily_ from now on. Steven said something along those lines, mentioning Pearl was right.

"You really ought to clean this place," he told her, clutching his own head. "No offense."

Amethyst was too tired to argue, so she nodded apathetically. She would've sighed again, only that Steven was close enough to where doing so would probably be a little rude. More so when Amethyst recalled she wasn't one to regularly brush her teeth. She stared at Steven, beginning to realize the implications of him being as close as he was. Steven, being himself, was a bit slow on the uptake, but eventually realized what she had. Being himself, Steven was also one to simply stare rather than do anything, noting that he could count the amount of inches between them on one hand. Not too long after that, he noted how her hair still managed to stay in a ponytail.

Steven took a moment to blame his hesitation on the soreness of his muscles before scrambling off of Amethyst again, apologizing profusely. Amethyst didn't say anything, still looking at the boy in an odd fashion. He didn't make any attempt to figure out her gaze, turning his own to his hand. Or, more accurately, what lay within it. The red Gem sat in his hand inactively, the seven facets giving Steven seven reflections of his own exhaustion. After a sigh of relief, Steven rose his other hand to it and bubbled the Gem.

"Glad that's over with," he admitted aloud, rubbing one of the scratches the Gem managed to dig into him.

Without any kind of indication or warning, Amethyst was around him, nearly crushing the boy in the _second_ mother of all bear hugs. She squeezed him tightly, nearly laughing.

"We make an _awesome_ team, Universe!" she congratulated the both of them, not paying any mind to the sensitive cuts on her arms. It was worth the hug, and then some, anyways. Steven didn't say much beyond laughing himself, though he physically couldn't do much else. Amethyst, caught up in the mirth of the moment, disregarded things like "reputation" and proceeded to plant a brief kiss on her friend's cheek.

Brief, but still noticeable.

If she was speaking honestly, Amethyst was slow to remove her lips, having recognized her action during it rather than before. Steven was suddenly quiet, as was she. Seeing as how apologizing again would only make the kiss more noticeable, she didn't and remained silent, hoping that her eyes could convey enough. That was irrelevant when she didn't look at Steven, she noted.

As a result, Amethyst hesitantly released her grasp, half-consciously comparing the persistent burning in her arms to the burning on her face. Steven, feeling a fair amount of blood in his cheeks himself, snorted after some time, grinning anyways. Quietly, he got down on one knee, looking back at Amethyst's bashful expression. She was about to question what he was getting at before he spoke up.

"May I?" he inquired, holding a single hand out with the other closed behind his back. Amethyst, understanding his intentions, stared at the open palm for a moment. Being in a "what the heck" kind of mood already, she snorted and humored the boy, giving him a hand.

"Such a gentleman," she said in as much of a posh tone as she could muster. Imitating Garnet before improved the quality, she thought. Steven didn't break character, gently bringing her hand to his lips and giving her a soft kiss himself. Amethyst, turning out to be a worse actor than he was, couldn't help but laugh, pulling her hand away sheepishly. Her blush made no signs of leaving, though she didn't care too much. Hearing her laugh was what finally broke the dam for Steven, and he returned to the mirth the both of them had taken a brief vacation from.

Their chuckling was interrupted by a faint droning noise, and both of them quieted, instinctively searching for its location. They had reason enough to be paranoid. After a few seconds, Amethyst glanced at her hand, and showed it to Steven with an understanding "Oh, right." Steven looked at her knuckles, confused. Then, seeing the lack of wounds around the area he planted his lips on, "ohhed" himself.

"Healing spit," he said with a snap. "I forget about that sometimes." Amethyst agreed, saying that it was more than a little convenient. Out of the ordinary, sure, but considering it was from Steven, the ability was alright in her book. She inspected her hand briskly, then turned back to Steven, who wore an odd grin. Odd because it seemed almost mischievous; Amethyst was usually the mischievous one. The Gem looked at him skeptically, unsure of what he was thinking.

"What-"

 _"Shower of kisses!"_ he abruptly exclaimed, jumping back up to a standing position and looking at Amethyst with veritable stars in his eyes. All she could do was look at the cuts adorning her arms and realize what he meant before Steven proceeded to give her, well, a shower of kisses.

It wasn't often she received that much, to put it bluntly, _affection,_ so Amethyst was a bit slow to protest. Steven's carefree laughter didn't help either, nor did the near tickling sensation on her arms. Between that, the inherent sentiment usually attached to his kisses, and Steven's overall _ingratiating_ demeanor, Amethyst was having trouble keeping her chuckling under control. She didn't even bother contemplating how the warmth in her cheeks had quickly overtaken the rest of her face.

"T-that tickles!" she tried letting out between laughs. The Gem felt that she probably should've been telling Steven she'd regenerate naturally anyways, but found her vocal cords surprisingly malfunctioning. The most she could utter was a few syllables beginning as "St-" before being caught up in Steven's jovial endearment. Most of her care was spent on the Gem they just fought anyways, so she crumbled. With a wide smile on her own features, Amethyst playfully put her arms under Steven's as he placed one final _smooch_ on her shoulder.

Steven's laughter turned a bit more forced after a moment as Amethyst promptly tickled him in mock payback.

"Don't feel so good, does it?" she said through another giggle, exacting her revenge. Steven couldn't say much though his chuckling, though appeared to be trying to shake his head as if to say "no." Unsure of whether or not that answered her question, Amethyst continued, utilizing her knowledge of his most vulnerable spots, laughing alongside Steven. He made a small effort to fight back, though it was _so_ small that it was more comical than anything else. Maybe that was his intent; if that was the case, it certainly helped prolong their laughing.

Each of them spasmed in the usual movements that came with tickling. A radiant glow covered each of their cheeks, doing a good job of representing their mutual appreciation. Completely overtaken by the mirth, both Gems gave up on standing up like normal people and allowed themselves to fall to the ground. Amethyst took the brunt of the impact, but even though she was under Steven, he managed to soften the fall, in a way.

It was a fair amount of time until they stopped laughing, the giggles gradually trickling away. Amethyst's last chortles lessened as she wiped a joy-induced tear from the corner of her eye. Unsurprisingly, Steven took a bit longer to stop laughing than his friend had. Amethyst, seeing it as an opportunity to further enjoy the moment, didn't complain, her eyes falling on him with a tooth-filled smile cemented on her face. Steven's grinning expression was similar to hers before he seemed to notice something severe. Amethyst assumed whatever he noticed was severe due to the drastic change of his smile into a surprised expression. Almost startled. Currently, Amethyst couldn't take it too seriously, and asked him, "What're you staring at now?"

Steven didn't say anything, eyes completely transfixed on Amethyst. His stare was definitely out of the ordinary, regardless of whether or not they were laughing a moment ago, though Amethyst wasn't too put off by it.

"Starin' at my hair?" she tried again, getting to the teasing she procrastinated earlier. Now seemed as good a time as ever. Weirdly, Steven didn't appear to think that, barely shaking his head as his eyes stood fixated by something. Something on Amethyst's person, according to how he made no attempt to shift his gaze anywhere else.

All the boy could mutter was a quiet "...uhm..." as he looked at the small cut on Amethyst's lip. Small, but definitely there. A thin, darker line that couldn't have been more than a half of an inch. While Steven probably should've given an explanation to Amethyst, forming such was a little difficult with his mind being as muddled as it was. Amethyst still didn't seem to catch on to what he was so bothered by, now asking if something was wrong in a slightly more serious tone. Steven, unable to answer, looked away for a moment, as if thinking over a difficult decision. Amethyst sat up a little, asking him "What's s'matter?" again to get a clear answer out of him.

A small shift on her shoulder was felt, inciting Amethyst to look towards the contact that brushed her. Then her eyes broadened considerably as she saw a single strap of her tank top resting a bit lower than usual. Lower than she was comfortable with, personally. While she was still covered, Amethyst quickly moved to place the strap back in its proper place. A sudden shift from her friend froze her, and she looked towards him, hoping to any divine power that her attire had not been the source of Steven's stare. All she could say was the stuttering beginning of an apology before Steven shook his head again, this time, more suddenly.

The next second, his lips were on hers. Just the one second; still long enough to be recognized, causing it to be drawn out for considerably longer than one second. Amethyst's eyes expanded about as far as they could reach, her body utterly frozen for that one second as she felt her face nearly burst into flames. Steven pulled back not too long after their initial contact, his face redder than Amethyst had ever seen before.

"There," he said quietly, briskly getting to his feet. His eyes seemed to be directed everywhere _but_ towards Amethyst now, for reasons she felt were a little obvious. Unable to form a real response, Amethyst made no effort to follow after Steven, bringing a shocked hand to her mouth. The most she could identify about Steven was the obvious fidgeting of his hands, though attempting to see anything further was not something she bothered considering. After a rather lengthy pause, Steven only said one other thing; "We can use a band-aid for the other one."

His words being the only thing she could recognize so easily, Amethyst almost questioned what "other one" Steven was referring to before a sudden thought occurred to her. A hand was brought up to her shoulder; not for the fact of how exposed it was, as that was rendered momentarily irrelevant, but rather as a kind of brace for where her hand would move next. Slowly, Amethyst rose her hand to her neck, feeling another cut adorning its surface. It didn't take a scientist to figure out what caused Steven to... _continue his affection_ in the first place, seeing as how Amethyst no longer felt the subtle sting on her mouth. And by logic of proxy...

Though likely impossible, Amethyst could've sworn her face grew even darker. It was a wonder one of her blood vessels hadn't detonated. The only thing she trusted herself to do was hum a nearly inaudible agreement before she rose from the ground shakily. Thank goodness, she remembered to fix her tank top before uncertainly taking a step towards Steven. Exposure wasn't a conversation she fancied, now more than ever. Half of her was tempted to put a hand on Steven's shoulder and discuss the awkwardness like an adult; the other half wanted to forget about the situation entirely for the simple reason of not thinking about what kisses usually meant.

The idea of Amethyst being a mature adult was laughable, to say the least.

As a result, Amethyst sighed as she got up from the ground, still feeling an uncomfortable warmth on her face. Since Steven likely had it worse, she decided complaining about that was a little selfish. She couldn't even tell in which direction she was supposed to step, her mind was so hazy with conflicting emotions. Ultimately, the violet Gem decided another step towards Steven was a step in the right direction.

"Look," she began carefully, "Steven-"

Suddenly, Amethyst's words were cut off by another creaking noise to her right. Still paranoid that _another_ Gem had managed to find itself in her room, she glanced at the noise, as did Steven. The tower that had taken so much abuse from earlier teetered again, though it wasn't nearly as worrying when no one was underneath it. Amethyst glanced at it expectantly, waiting for it to balance itself out. It eventually did, though not in a way either Gem expected. With another defiant creak, the woodwork supporting whatever lay at the top of the mound buckled, causing the object to crash to the floor with a loud _*thud*_. Steven didn't appear too surprised at first, likely preoccupied with thoughts that didn't need exploring at the moment. Still, he seemed thankful for something to focus on before walking towards whatever fell to the ground.

Without much to do, Amethyst followed, hoping Steven would take after her and refuse to mention the kiss. Not just any kiss, _the_ kiss. Thankfully, Steven made no effort to pour concrete between his friend and himself, instead inspecting the object curiously. Amethyst absentmindedly rubbed her restored arm when she saw Steven's eyes grow wide.

"Here, help me carry this thing," he told Amethyst, waving her over. As long as he wasn't concerned with the past few minutes, she would likely do anything. She strode to the side of the object, investigating it herself. It was odd how box-shaped it was; even more odd was the collection of cables running out the back, as though-

* * *

"And this plug," Steven announced to the world (just Amethyst, really), "goes _here._ " With an over-dramatized flourish, Steven put the last cable into his wall, giving power to his new TV. It turned on in an instant, a slew of colorful characters filling the screen. Even better was the clear music of a breakfast-themed jingle emanating from the box. Amethyst whooped in triumph, giving Steven a thumbs-up with a smirk. She motioned for Steven to quickly come over, stating that the show was just starting. Though he could tell that much from the iconic intro, Steven was extremely thankful for his habit to prepare for television in advance.

Steven nearly ran into Amethyst, he dashed to her so fast. She didn't pay much mind to his rush, waving for him to sit as the jingle finished. _Crying Breakfast Friends_ was best enjoyed with someone to watch with, anyways. Steven, internally thinking likewise, fell to the ground in front of Amethyst, who naturally accepted his lean. Having that extra few inches above him allowed Amethyst to watch above his curly hair, to which she was a little grateful for.

Downstairs, Amethyst heard the door open, though didn't pay it much mind. She was too invested in the show to pay much mind beyond what was in front of her. Still, hearing Pearl's voice told her who it was. The tall Gem said the standard greetings, likely returning from some minor mission that she took upon herself. After letting her favorite character finish speaking, Amethyst gave a small "Hey," in return, eyes still fixed on the screen. Steven did the same, though added a brief wave for the sake of politeness.

"Mind getting us a soda?" Amethyst called downstairs, hoping to catch Pearl before she went into her room like she usually did following a mission. She didn't think her request was too much. Thankfully, Pearl obliged, letting Amethyst stay right where she was. Not that Pearl would know, but the violet Gem felt she (as well as Steven) deserved a little downtime to themselves. A few moments passed, and Pearl delivered, bringing two sodas for the both of them. Steven thanked her before turning his attention back to the screen before him, not wanting to miss a second of the finale. Cracking her own soda open, Amethyst heard Pearl state "You're welcome," followed by an off-hand comment on Amethyst looking well before the Gem descended back down the stairs.

For a moment, Amethyst hesitated. Her free hand was brought to her arm, not a single semblance of harm on it. This hand was later brought up to her hair, which still lay in a ponytail, albeit a messy one. She never bothered to fix it, though she also recalled never bothering to remove it, either. Lastly, Amethyst's hand hesitantly reached down under her jaw. A small blush filled her face again as she rubbed the smooth surface of her neck, completely fine.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yay! This was my first time writing a sort of "fighting scene" as well as my first time a sort-of kiss-ish kind of scene. I think it went well enough. Dunno for sure, though. Thanks for reading! Have a good day!


	3. Doorway (Old)

**A/N:** This chapter's kind of worse, and needs a little context;

The main story I was writing at the time of posting this drabble was _Vicissitude_ , a 90,000+ word story that had a slower pace than an elderly snail (shameless self-plug to go check that out if you like these two Gems, which I'm assuming you do, because you're here). The final version of _Vicissitude_ that I ended up with was drastically different than the initial draft. I'm glad I've made a lot of cuts to the script, but some scenes were actually pretty darn good and didn't need a whole lot of context.

Which is where this drabble comes in. I've tried working it in as cleanly as possible, editing it a little and improving on my DRASTICALLY worse writing, but darn if this doesn't seem worse to me than everything else. Still, maybe you can enjoy it. Waste not, want not, and all.

 **This was written sometime near the end of Season 1.**

Apologies about the lengthy notes, just wanted to put that out there. Have a good one! :D

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Doorway_

 _Amethyst helps Steven use his Gem, though not in a way either anticipates._

"What?" Steven questioned, his spoon half-way between his mouth and his excessively sugary bowl of cereal. Not that he intended, but some of the contents spilled out from his sudden stop, making a small mess on the counter-top he was eating at. Regardless, Steven kept his eyes on Amethyst, who still held an air of nonchalance despite what she had just requested.

"You heard me," she waved off in a matching casual tone. She didn't exactly appear _disinterested;_ her expression leaned more towards deceptively indifferent. Towards what, Steven didn't know. She was likely the only one that could be so casual about what she'd asked. The Gem moved over a little from the seat beside Steven, and repeated her question. "You wanna try opening your door? We ain't exactly got plans for the day."

Uncertain, Steven set his spoon back down, looking at the slate of jeweled metal just behind the warp pad. It shone brightly and cleanly despite its supposed age, reflecting the morning sun off of its near-white surface. Resplendent as it was, Steven looked at it warily. He _did_ want to open his door eventually, sure, but the abruptness of Amethyst's question caught him a little off-guard. The last time _she_ had encouraged his Gem training was... never, if recalled correctly. That was somewhat of a pleasant fact, in all honesty.

Maybe that's why she had suggested his practice in such a casual tone. Steven didn't know for certain, but he had the odd sense that Amethyst knew he didn't need _more_ pressure to succeed in his mother's footsteps (not that it was induced with any ill-intent or even purposely). It made it that much easier to talk to her, which Steven didn't think he could ever take for granted. Mulling over his answer, the boy took another spoonful of cereal in his mouth, thinking less about his answer and more how to word it.

Amethyst waited expectantly, still watching him with a neutral expression. Despite her clear features, though, Steven felt she was looking almost too intently at him. Not that he implied she was being _rude,_ but her eyes completely contradicted how apathetic her demeanor usually was.

Finishing his bite, Steven shrugged, causing Amethyst to do the same nearly instantly. She wasn't wrong in stating their day was free; neither Gem had much of a plan for the day. Most people didn't on a Sunday. Still, Steven didn't think it'd be paranoid to think she hadn't asked her question for no real reason. The attempt to open his door (or still his mother's? Neither term felt quite right) couldn't take more than a few minutes, so it'd be difficult to devote a whole day to it.

"I... guess so?" Steven uncertainly answered with a matching head tilt. Amethyst didn't quite _light up_ at his verbal agreement, though she seemed to gain the slightest bit of interest in hearing an actual statement. Also a peculiar detail Steven took note of.

The Gem put down his partially eaten breakfast, and stepped towards his mother's(?) strange room. After looking at the metal slate for a brief moment, he faced back at Amethyst with an unsure expression. He found her half-consciously giving him a thumbs-up as she ate the rest of his breakfast in one gulp. Steven might've made some argument, but he honestly expected as much. Heck, he would've offered her the bowl later, anyways. Rather than state that was the last of his cereal, Steven turned back towards the jeweled gate, thinking how best to go about this.

As far as he could remember, the only other time Steven managed to open his mother's door was when he was upset at the other Gems for intruding on his free-time at a more inopportune moment. Right now, though, he was far from angry. Just naturally content at his friend's casualness, albeit with a tad of recent confusion at the diametric question she asked. The most irritation he could even willingly bring about was his loss of food, but living with Amethyst made that the norm. The Gem in question ungracefully dropped from the stool as she put the now empty bowl back down. Regardless of what he was _supposed_ to be feeling in order for the door to work, Amethyst strode up beside him with an encouraging smile, persuading him to give it a go.

Steven looked back to the door determinedly, and focused on his Gem like Amethyst had advised. Rather vaguely advised, but it was advice nonetheless. With his eyes now closed, Steven walked straight into the door and promptly rubbed his belly on the smooth metal. Amethyst had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing at how silly he looked, despite how serious his expression was. The contradiction's comedic value was only further enhanced by his mutterings of the word "magic". Eventually, he opened one eye tentatively, and saw the starred door staring unmovingly down back at him.

"Come oooooonnn…" Steven said, thinking that would've worked. At least a little bit. He shut his eyes again, and concentrated on what he wanted the Gem in his stomach to do rather than itself. Amethyst continued watching on, curious as to his approach on how to use his Gem. Perhaps it would offer insight on how her own Gem worked, considering she hadn't really paid much attention to that fact since… ever, really. Despite his persistence, however, Steven was awarded no effect from what appeared to be physical strain. The door still didn't open, remaining in its stoic state. This only prompted Steven to put forth more willpower. Amethyst put a hand on his shoulder, saying "Don't hurt yourself, kid," with a small chuckle.

Evidently doing just that, Steven held his breath and continued focusing, his already rounded cheeks puffed outwards. Save for the occasional bird outside chirping happily, the world was quiet for some time. Then Amethyst remembered humans needed air to live when Steven's head began exploring new colors of the spectrum.

"Uh, just a thought," Amethyst said semi-casually, "but breathing isn't the worst thing in the world, Steven."

The moment she'd uttered his name, Steven gasped for oxygen and lost some of his balance in the process. Amethyst chuckled as he fell against her, color slowly returning back to his face. The right kind, at least. "I appreciate yer enthusiasm," Amethyst added, "but it'd probably be best if you didn't choke yourself dead, m'kay?"

Steven's breaths gradually slowed to a point that allowed him to speak, but he didn't have much to say beyond "M'kay." A "thanks" was annexed on not too long after, most likely serving as a way of commending Amethyst's ability to stand up for him. Literally. Once his respiration was restored, Steven asked, "How did you open your door?" in the hope of finding some helpful guidance.

"Uh…" Amethyst trailed off uncertainly in response before pondering it herself. To be honest, she didn't really know. Like her Gem, it simply did what she wanted when she wanted it to. It never occurred to her as to why. The potential curiosity that might've given her that information tended to be diverted elsewhere, usually at what might've been edible things to eat. "I dunno, just sorta… happened."

She could tell her advice was unhelpful when a confused look spread across Steven's face. "Try relaxing," she offered instead. "Chill. Don't stop breathing, but just go on instinct. Feel the… door opening. I guess."

No one could say she didn't try.

Steven gave her an odd look, to which he was awarded a shrug. "Okay," he said, and focused again on opening his mother's door. His eyelids slowly met, and unlike the first stressful attempt, he appeared to be thinking of something serene. But like the first stressful attempt, he opened one eye to see that the door was not amused. Still it stood, unwavering. Steven groaned, expecting a different result. He thought he'd at least get his Gem to glow.

"Hmm…" he and Amethyst muttered in unison, trying to come up with a solution. After a couple minutes of one of them snapping and raising their hand only to put it back down again at further thought, Steven suddenly perked up like he just an idea. Sure enough, his next words were "I have an idea!"

He paused, but just before Amethyst was about to congratulate him on his momentous feat, he continued. "Why don't we ask Pearl? She's really smart."

A harsh groan fell out of Amethyst's mouth in response to his plan. "No, no, we can figure this out… somehow."

Steven gave her an addled expression. "I thought you guys were cool?" he said with an upward inflection, turning his statement into a question.

"We are, it's just…" Amethyst scratched the back of her neck, looking a little agitated. "P's a little, y'know... _too_ smart. Ain't got anything against her, but... y'know."

She didn't have to explain further to convey her message; Pearl was always smug when it came to anything intellectual. Sure, she might've deserved her pride, but it didn't feel quite tactful in the current context. Steven gave Amethyst a sheepish smile, along with a drawn out "Yeeeeaaahhh…" in reluctant agreement. They settled on having her as a last resort, should absolutely nothing work in the very slightest. Besides, figuring something as important as Gem usage on their own felt like an achievement worthy of a minor struggle.

"Think," Amethyst said, more of an audible thought than a command. "How'd you get it to work before?"

Steven cringed a little, and told her, "I was, uh, mad at you guys," in a half-nervous, half-ashamed voice. "I just wanted to be alone."

"'Kay," Amethyst stated dryly with a shrug. The reason for his anger had been justified, but they already went over that a long time ago. Trying to recreate those exact conditions was a possibility that wouldn't likely work in the long run. "What about your Gem?"

A confused "Huh?" caused her to explain. "How'd you get _it_ to activate? They'd probably be the same."

Steven mulled over this for a bit. Amethyst had understood that his Gem was rather sporadic, but there was definitely a pattern to when its abilities activated; an unclear pattern, but a pattern nonetheless. It was better than nothing. "Well," her friend continued slowly, still holding a thoughtful palm to his chin, "the first time was when I ate those Cookie Cats." For a moment, a small grin grew on Steven's features, the boy evidently reminiscing about the treats. "But those didn't really do anything besides taste _really_ good. I don't think they count."

Amethyst thought back to the enraged store owner the three of them "borrowed" from, and a shameless smile spread across her face. She tried not to laugh as she questioned further. "What about when you made that bubble thing for… what's-her-face. You know the lady."

"Oh, Connie?" Steven said with a perkiness that Amethyst, for whatever reason, slightly disliked. Her mood dropped sharply at the mere mention of the girl's name, though she hadn't seen initially why. Bothering to look for _why_ wasn't that high on the priority list on the moment, though it was still higher than one would usually deem logical. "That time, I think it was because I wanted to protect her from those falling rocks."

The purple Gem pushed confusing thoughts aside for later, and thought back to when Steven had summoned his shield during the altercation with Lapis. "Protect, protect…" Amethyst muttered as the cogs in her mind started to over-clock. The pattern to Steven's abilities formed a more recognizable shape, making Amethyst feel denser than she usually was for not realizing the fact sooner. "Every time you used your Gem, you wanted to protect something!"

Steven thought about it himself, and realized his friend had come to a sound conclusion. "Oh, yeah!" he said excitedly, as it was now dawning on him how exactly he could willingly summon his abilities. That was, if Amethyst was right, though he highly doubted her conjecture was wrong. It _did_ seem like the kind of thing that'd denote creating a shield, given his general demeanor.

"Go for it," Amethyst suggested casually with a shrug. She also had a bit of a smirk, though didn't appear to be too eager in grinning. "Think of someone you wanna protect. Worst comes to worst, ya think."

Although it took him a bit to get his enthusiasm in check, Steven calmed down enough to get his mind in focus. He appeared to ponder for a moment, and looked at Amethyst inquisitively. Oddly, he seemed to hesitate for a brief moment before continuing unperturbed. "Like you?"

Certainly, that would've worked. Amethyst looked slightly startled at her friend's choice, but recomposed herself in the blink of an eye. She's had enough practice beforehand to make the action almost seamless, which meant the Gem was a little confused when she could feel that the action _wasn't._ "Eh, sure?" she hesitantly shrugged before chastising herself for her sub-par reaction. A joking _"Daawww!"_ would've been far more fitting.

 _"Not like it's anything special,"_ Amethyst scolded herself.

Steven gave her a grin, and closed his eyes, apparently focusing on shielding her from harm. Amethyst felt it necessary to note how he continued breathing this time. She didn't feel it necessary to note how the combination of his smile and apparent thoughts of her made for an oddly warming sensation, but did so anyways. She drew the line at noting how the implied warmth was felt both metaphorically and physically, the latter attribute being applied to her face. Shrugging off the strange effects one person could inflict, Amethyst reapplied her attention to him. Nearly instantly, a soft light emanated from underneath the fabric of Steven's starred shirt. Subtle at first, but the coruscation intensified within a few seconds.

Minuscule sparkles slowly materialized in a circular space just in front of him, about the size of a stool's seat. Their numbers steadily increased, multiplying until they connected into a full circle in the shape of… well, a shield. Faster than any of the Gems would've expected, the particles solidified into a glassy pink surface with a visible pattern of a large rosebud. Once his "weapon" fully finished its entrance, it flashed a bright white, then sat idly on a holographic beam connecting its center to where Steven's belly button would be.

It was silent for a while before Amethyst remembered she could exhale as well as inhale. "Whoa…" she breathed out. It's been a while since Amethyst saw that thing. Steven opened an eye to see if it'd worked, and gasped when he saw the circular defense floating in front of him. Speechless, he looked back and forth between it and Amethyst, his mouth agape. She beamed at him, and told him "You are welcome," proudly with a dramatic bow.

Testing it, he moved his stomach around on his legs, and the spinning object followed his motions seamlessly. He snatched it out of the air like a child would grab a present on their birthday, and it noiselessly snapped to an area a couple inches above his forearm. Steven stared at the magical item incredulously, and looked back at Amethyst with an ecstatic expression.

With no hesitation whatsoever, he embraced her. Fortunately, no one was around to witness her rather inglorious gasp of surprise.

"Thank yooooooou!" Steven said as he ardently hugged her. An awkward blush spread across Amethyst's cheeks, and she returned the unexpected contact with a full smile. The lack of usual flippancy might've been somewhat influenced by knowing what Steven had used for his motivation to acquire his shield. Once he (eventually) released her, the young Gem looked at his newly created shield with absolute glee. "This is so awesome! Now I can finally help you guys fight and stuff!"

"Lookin' forward to it," Amethyst said, still grinning from ear to ear. Then she looked back at Rose's door, and remembered what they were trying to do in the first place. "But, as happy as I am for you…"

There was a considerable delay between when she talked and when Steven actually heard her, as he was too busy striking poses with his new piece of equipment to let his mind think about much else. He made a confused "Huh?" and saw that she was once again looking at Rose's door. "Oh, right," he stated as he scratched the back of his neck. "Whoops."

Only a couple seconds passed before Amethyst waved her arm in the air with a shrug. "Eh, we can try later if you want," she stated with a sliver of disappointment only someone like Steven could detect. "No, I think I can do this!" he assured her hastily. She rose an eyebrow at him, but decided to let him at least try.

He looked at the door with newly-found confidence. Once more, he shut his eyes and focused his mind. His Gem began glowing, filling with a phosphorescent light that signaled magic was about to take place. However, seeing as how he was already holding onto his shield, Amethyst doubted he was going to summon his weapon. She looked towards the door, expecting it to dissipate with a rose, but the steel gate still sat there. Even after awarding Steven a full minute for something to happen, nothing transpired.

"Good try, b-" she started to say, but was interrupted by a slight droning coming from somewhere. The sound gradually got louder and louder, right up until she could discern its location.

She turned her head just in time to see Rose's door glow brilliantly, enveloped in a white light. With a flash similar to the shield's finalization, it disappeared, giving way to a literally cloudy view.

Both Amethyst and her friend were speechless. Not only had Steven managed to just summon his weapon on _purpose_ , but also opened Rose's room on _purpose_. Their eyes slowly drifted towards each other, and the moment they made contact, Amethyst wrapped an arm around his neck. "Dang!" she said with euphoric enthusiasm, ruffling his short brown hair. "You're gettin' way too good at this stuff!"

Steven laughed, and gave her a broad beam. His mouth made to say something, but the only sounds that came out were strange and unintelligible noises. As his arms patted gently on her's, he mouthed something over and over she couldn't make out.

She looked at him, perplexed, but understood what the problem was when his cheeks turned slightly blue. Quickly, she released her tight headlock with a quick "Whoops!" He fell to the ground coughing, his unsheathed shield following his descent. "Forgot, you guys need air. My bad, I do that sometimes."

After a couple of breaths, he waved freely at her, still slightly hacking. "It… it's alright…"

She kneeled down to help him up, and took extra precaution to avoid accidentally strangling him again. Despite having been asphyxiated for the second time that morning, he didn't appear upset by it. He looked at the now open door with an expression of boyish pride that said "I did that."

She followed suit, though her face was more curious than smug. "How'd you manage that, wonder boy?"

He shifted his gaze towards her, and his cheeks changed from their earlier cobalt color to a pinkish crimson. "Uh, you… again," he answered plainly.

"Daawww!" she responded, clasping her hands together in an over-dramatized pose of flattery (now that was a _much_ better execution). "Looks like I'm your secret."

A loud gulp emanated from his throat. He wasn't quite sure what she was implying, but he learned to be cautious about statements that could have a large number of meanings when it involved Amethyst. "What d'you mean?"

"My awesomeness is clearly the key to your Gem." She poked the stone with a grin, making him giggle, then turned towards him with a curious expression. "Real-talk, though; why me again?"

His shrug seemed a tad too quick to be classified as casual. "I'unno, worked the first time, I guess." Though he attempted to wave it off, Amethyst could tell there was more to it than that, and not just because of his unconvincing tone. An idea of what the rest of his reasoning consisted of had already implanted itself in her head; after all, this was Steven of all people. His shield was pretty much the epitome what he wanted for everyone.

"Wow," she sarcastically stated anyways, now crossing her arms and looking unamused. "Ain't that just touching."

Steven froze for a second before reanimating with a noticeable jump that made Amethyst snort. "Ah, what I meant was-"

"Psh, I'm kiddin', man. I know, 'I wanna protect you,' and all that sappy junk." She gave him a playful slug on the shoulder, cracking a smile. Working with mushy emotions and such may not have been one of her strong suits, but that didn't mean she couldn't recognize them. Nor be unable to appreciate them.

"Heh heh," he chuckled, the slight blush simply refusing to fade. He reciprocated the motion lightly, saying "Thanks, Ame-"

"OOOOWWW!" she suddenly howled, recoiling from the tap and half-falling-half-collapsing backwards to the floor like a stiffened rag-doll. Her hand clasped her shoulder, gripping the point of contact tightly, as all her muscles cringed and contracted. Amethyst's teeth grated against each other, constantly seething a pained "Oowww, ow ow!"

"Ohmygosh!" Steven instantly knelt down to the ground beside her, a wave of regret washing away all other once-happy feelings. Nothing but absolute remorse was shown on his features as he looked over her cringing form, changing from joviality to penitence. Though he swore he hadn't given much more than a glorified tap, it was enough to drop Amethyst on the spot, somehow. He was too busy feeling terrible to question it. "I-I'm so sorry, Amethyst! What's wrong, how did- what hurts- "

Her pained face broke into a waggish smirk after approximately three seconds of aching. Almost like it was rehearsed, a very sudden, very loud, and very distinctive laugh cut into his apology. Only fractions of a second passed when he understood what was going on, and subsequently blushed at how gullible he'd just been. His past experience with her that would've prevented this very occurrence if he paid attention made it a bit more degrading.

"Amethyst…" Steven groaned, heavily sighing. Though he was relieved to find her okay, she didn't need to know right now.

"Oh, boy…" she said, looking up at him with a large grin. Steven was always a reliable go-to for a quick laugh; not only was he gullible, he also had the memory-span of an Alzheimer's-stricken goldfish that allowed him to completely forget the very-justified reasons for being angry at her. "I'm sorry, man, but you just make it too easy! I mean, it was like," she snapped her fingers for added effect, " _that!_ "

A small "Harumf" paired with a cracked scowl did not make a convincing argument. His eyes were forced as far left as possible, for fear a smile would break through his facade if he so much as glimpsed at her. She continued laughing anyways, not bothering to stand up from the floor. Maybe her victory was inevitable, but that didn't stop Steven from stubbornly keeping it off for as long as possible. Never has, never will.

Though, how quickly her chortling ceased was making it difficult to not look. Why did she stop so abruptly after a brief continuation? Just a hint for what she was currently engaged in proved too intriguing to stray from. Steven internally groaned at knowing what his future self would do and decided to move it up in the chronological schedule.

Maybe she wouldn't notice how he barely turned his neck to see her out of the corner of his eye. Her quiet made discerning if she had any indication of acknowledging the small notion. It was difficult to tell, but she appeared… contemplative. Like she was currently working out some sort of life-altering epiphany from deluding his sincerity. Curiosity was becoming difficult to control, but he forcibly locked his neck in place so he wouldn't sway further.

"Heh," Amethyst said lightly with a small smile. Though he couldn't see it, Steven felt her gaze on him. The strain of twisting his neck away was beginning to get to him. He held his fortitude still, not moving a single degree. Feeling her faint touch on his cheek finally won his eyes over.

Aptly confused, he gave in, and turned his head towards her. "Amethyst…?" he questioned for a general answer to why she was doing what she was. An uncommon sight graced his eyes. Amethyst was smiling, but in a… different… way. Eyebrows slightly creased, grin marginally leaning to one side, neck even tilted down only a couple of degrees.

The smallest adjustments had changed a lot about the feeling she gave off. Though not for the worse, in some oddly pleasant way. Her expression emanated a sense of affinity, capturing his attention easily. Sure, he couldn't exactly tell why she looked so or what it represented, but it obviously wasn't anything with ill-intent. It seemed impossible to achieve when she was laughing so loudly just a second ago.

"You really do care about me, though, huh?" she said… softly? That was new for Steven, too. Her tone had matched her expression, making him realize what they both consisted of, due to how their similarity. She looked and sounded… touched. His palm met her hand on his face, although he made no move to remove it.

"Of course I do," he returned quietly. He gave her a sincere smile, matching her own, and added a rhetorical "How couldn't I?"

This was met by an even quieter "Daww," from her, which resulted in a small amount of chuckling. Not much else was said after that, but words weren't high up on their priority list at the moment. The following silence held no air of awkwardness, as though they'd both known that they said all they needed to. Steven, as guilty as it sounded, took the small amount of time to notice as much of her face as he could so as to get the image ingrained into his memory. Though if anyone else saw it, he'd imagine they'd want to do the same. When she looked so moved, it didn't change her appearance like he previously thought.

It showed different aspects of her; more gentle and caring ones that had been hidden rather than absent. Like the steel wall of her roughness was moved aside for the moment, allowing him to witness this phenomenon of feeling. Physically showing her emotions gave her a tenacity that he could only broadly define as good. She looked good when she opened up. And what did descrying her unique charisma make him feel?

Amethyst's smile widened just a little as she put her other hand onto his resting one, faintly gripping it. Knowing that someone else worried that much about her well-being was, and she admitted this surprisingly easily, comforting. It made her feel protected, even secure; feelings that she didn't often encounter, since she didn't exactly need guarding. But Steven had made her feel protected and secure. That the actual concern came from Steven was no surprise.

The surprise, she found, was in discovering the extent of his consideration, going so far as to automatically assume she was hurt from what could barely register as a touch, despite knowing very well she couldn't be. He didn't give any attention to whether or not she could be hurt; he pooled all of it towards trying to make sure she was okay if she was. Maybe not everyone would see it that way, but in her eyes, that way of thinking was… kind of admirable.

"Shucks," she murmured, almost silent. "You sure know how to make a girl feel special, don't ya?" Steven, looking stupefied, gave a delayed laugh, apparently pulled from whatever awe he was so engrossed in. The pause only made her laugh in turn, not paying any mind to what could be the object of his astonishment in favor of just enjoying the moment.

Both sat (well, one kneeled), in silence, simply thinking and looking with small, flushed smiles. Both were surprised to find Amethyst blushing, but thankfully the information as to why wasn't shared. For once, both found staring straight at someone else with a grin not a creepy thing to do, odd as that was. It just felt like the… correct thing to do. To feel… close.

A laser burning through their ears shattered the silence.

Later, it'd be learned that it was just the droning of Rose's door closing after staying unlocked for a significant amount of time. And it wasn't truly all that loud; the only thing that made it seem so was its auditory solitude. But for the time being, the laser destroyed the quietness, and subsequently the moment of doing not-weird things. Steven blinked alongside Amethyst; the former being thrown out of discovering the latter's hidden softer side, and the latter being thrown from discovering the former's extensive care for others (or more specifically, herself.)

"I-I, uh," Amethyst began, sheepishly grinning while silently cursing at herself. She never stuttered. Then she wondered why her face was so close to Steven's, to the point of uncomfortably. With a cough, she swiftly removed her hands from his, and looked at the door instead of him. "The door," she intelligently stated, staring directly at the shutting metal slate and nothing else.

Steven's rebound took considerably longer. "Yes!" he nearly shouted, snapping to the frame and leaping up to a standing position. "The door."

Sound stalled once again, but the quiet didn't possess any kind of sincerity or expression. The quiet prior made the current silence one of anxiousness; not that enjoyable. After a formidable hesitation, Amethyst asked, "Never tell anyone ever?" while keeping her gaze at the now static gate.

* * *

 **A/N:** Oof, yeah, the quality is definitely a bit sub-par. Sorry about that, heh. I promise the rest of these things are _way_ better. Find out for yourself! :D


	4. Aftershock

**A/N:** I think before I said that like chapter two was my favorite drabble? Well I forgot about this one. It's ever so slightly shorter (which means it's still pretty hecking long) but DANG did I love how this came out. Not to mention how awesomely received this was by the awesomer people that read it!

*Pro-tip: In my experience, it's best to watch the respective episode for episode-based stories **directly** before reading for optimal levels of fluff. Then again, not a whole lot depends on whether you remember (or have even seen) "Tiger Philanthropist". Have a good one!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Aftershock_

 _Following the events of "Tiger Philanthropist", the walk back to the Temple takes far longer than Steven anticipates._

"Been a while since I took a hit like that," Amethyst stated, the continuous cheering fading behind her. Whether or not the doors were shut completely, the Gem gladly shifted from her underground persona and into her usual form with a relieved sigh. Somehow, the various bruises and marks of impact stayed with her, though neither she nor Steven pondered it. Amethyst had gotten used to the odd way injuries managed to stay after enduring them for so long, and Steven currently wasn't curious enough to ask about it. A subtle _*click*_ behind Amethyst told her that she was a tad eager to shift back to her normal form, but she wasn't too concerned, thinking that everyone's attention was too focused forward to pay her much mind regardless. Stretching her arm across her front, she offered a question to Steven. "Think they'll last?"

Steven, rubbing his back, gave her a nod, feeling his own bruises and aches settling in. A part of him was tempted to restore himself with his spit, though he wasn't bothered by the pain enough to do so. Not to mention that there was some degree of pride in having such damage, ironically enough. Despite the overall hurt that'd been exchanged alongside their title as Beach City's underground wrestling champions, Steven grinned. Amethyst could feel her own smile, though it was more subconscious than voluntary. "They're tough enough," her friend stated, taking a moment to look at the chip in his mask. He tossed it away with a small chuckle, likely understanding that he wasn't going to need it any time soon. Amethyst agreed. "That was definitely a bang."

"And _definitely_ a big one," Amethyst added. Steven undid the tie of his former persona, though didn't toss it away like he had with his mask. As he tucked the cloth into his pants pocket, Amethyst stretched the rest of her aches away as best as she could. Steven didn't pay much mind, stretching himself to alleviate what pains _he_ could. The moment his back had audibly popped with a matching "Ah," Amethyst had quickly stepped up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Piqued, Steven turned to her, finding Amethyst with that mischievous grin he usually attributed to her. She didn't offer any words, looking him up and down in a manner that he's come to associate with being in trouble. Before Steven could begin to question what he'd done _this_ time (more of a habit gained from Amethyst than one he made on his own, ironically enough), Amethyst pulled him into a headlock with her other arm, giving him a good-natured noogie for good measure.

"Now I _really_ got my nights back," she told him with a laugh. He chuckled similarly, which intensified her grin for a brief moment. Like she would've expected, Steven didn't put up too much of a fight, simply accepting Amethyst's rough-housing nature with a persistent smile. The violet Gem took a moment to appreciate his grin before letting up a little, slowly striding back towards the vague direction of the temple. Steven shook his head, following her. Not that he had much choice; for some reason he had yet to discern, Amethyst's arm stayed around his shoulders in a manner more friendly than usual. He considered questioning it, given the more intimate talk they had shared within the building they were just leaving.

Instead, Steven stepped in silence, the only sound being the subtle crunch of the occasional pebble underneath. A light warmth could be felt on his face; just subtle enough to warrant inspection without being able to be discerned (hopefully). Initially, Steven didn't have much of an idea as to what could cause the blood in his cheeks. A few seconds' worth of thought let him understand the source as his friend, albeit broadly. Curious, Steven looked at Amethyst, finding her with a content smile. It looked rather pleasant on her. More than it probably should've, actually.

 _"...huh..."_ Steven thought, blinking. Maybe it was his and Amethyst's recent talk that intensified her aesthetics. As well as... generally speaking, _her._ Something about the Gem suddenly caught Steven's mental eye in the way of how one usually thought of their passion. That was to say, persistently. Consistently. And... that was about as much as he could tell. Oddly (and soon irksomely) Steven couldn't identify _what_ about Amethyst made her so prominent in his head. Most guesses, ranging from the genial relationship he had with her to the admittedly eye-catching way her hair shone in the moonlight, ended up being true enough to support an offhand thought, though not to any satisfying degree.

Steven was only too aware of his steps becoming a tad stiffer than they ought to be, his brain then latching onto Amethyst's earlier talk of wrestling being "their thing" like a child latched onto Santa Claus. Not that he wanted to, but Steven grew a bit more conscious of the direction of his eyes as he recalled the numerous experiences he'd shared with the Gem beside him. The recent addition to those experiences didn't help distract himself. As to why he _should've_ been distracted from his more personal relationship with Amethyst...

He didn't know about that, either. All Steven could tell was that his friend was suddenly something he was unable to think too clearly about, especially in her own presence. Less ironic than he would've assumed.

Far off in some unrecognizable direction, faint music steadily grew louder as the Gems walked in their mutually accepted silence, likely emanating from some town party that usually occurred on a Saturday night. Amethyst stopped for a moment, glancing at Steven. He looked back, troubled that it took a few moments to register her gaze. After a few moments, the Gem shook her head with a dismissive "Nah," and continued walking, moving from the harsh asphalt to the softer grass of the nearby hill. Steven grew a little further troubled at how he realized what she was pondering _after_ she'd pondered it, since he felt they ought to understand each other better than that. They _have,_ before. What was different now?

"What is it?" Amethyst abruptly questioned, turning towards Steven. Startled, Steven blinked, realizing his ponderous hum after it'd been uttered. He assessed that his brain was working in a timeline approximately five seconds behind the rest of the world before giving a dismissive shake of the head to Amethyst.

"Nothin'," he tried casually with a shrug. A second passed, and he continued just to be safe. "Just thinking about the music."

Amethyst hummed herself, turning back to the hill that blocked the temple from their sight. "Alright," she said, similarly casual. Not _entirely_ similar, because she had sounded genuine in her statement. Steven couldn't really say the same for his, logical as it might've been. Both her and Steven were a little too tired to crash someone's party, for obvious reasons. Besides, while the other Gems had agreed to allow Amethyst and Steven to continue their weekly wrestling journey, they had made a point to also continue enforcing Steven's curfew. Not that Amethyst personally believed in something as arbitrary as a bed-time ( _especially_ considering Steven's own age and responsibility; an important distinction she'd made a point of telling him) but the less reasons Pearl could call her a bad influence, the better.

At least, the less reasons Pearl would want her to stop hanging around him, the better. Amethyst was kind of going for a record with how many "bad-influence" reasons she could rack up, according to the Gem in question. Steven had found equal amusement and flattery in that statement.

Thanks to his experience, Steven silenced his second hum of confusion when his brain had attached itself to that word. _"Flattery."_ Before... _something,_ that word would've sufficed and Steven wouldn't have given it second thought. Now, though, _flattered_ didn't seem to fit the bill quite right. The feeling was something in that department, but Steven felt he could get more specific. Somehow.

" _'More Than a Thought',_ by Massachusetts," Steven heard at his side again. Further confused by Amethyst's statement, both for its abrupt nature and odd content, Steven turned back towards her with a fittingly confused expression. She nodded her head as if listening to the music that had long since faded, which created a rather interesting wave effect in her hair. After that mandatory five-second delay, Steven's brain caught up with his mouth, though wasn't any less perplexed. "Huh?"

"The song," Amethyst explained further, now turning to meet Steven's face. It didn't change in the slightest. Amethyst likely took it as a prompt to continue. "You were thinking about the song? Thought you couldn't remember the name or somethin'."

Just as her statement ended, Steven snapped with a matching "Oh!" as he remembered what he said literally less than a minute ago. He didn't take long to continue the charade. "Yeah, I thought that was it. Thanks."

Amethyst gave him a languid thumbs up and turned back forward, humming. The smile that she'd worn since losing their championship belts had faded, which Steven didn't quite enjoy. Rather than think about why her grin was gone or even ask, Steven mourned the loss, finding that Amethyst looked a lot better with a smile. Not to say that she didn't look good _period,_ as she absolutely did, but-

"Nice night out," Steven heard himself suddenly blurt out. Hearing the obvious anxiety that one would rarely attribute to such an off-hand statement, Amethyst glanced back at him, eyebrow raised. Steven found himself looking back at her before coughing and shooting his eyes to the sky above. His hand seemed to be having some kind of spasm with no real input on his part, sporadically clenching and relaxing in a way that usually meant an electrical outlet was working. The Gem didn't have the idea that there was one in the immediate vicinity. Amethyst continued looking at Steven, her brows forming a confused "v". Just as she opened her mouth, Steven awkwardly reached a hand up to un-smooth his hair, as though he just remembered to take his hat off at a cemetery.

As they crested the hill, Amethyst drew out a perplexed "Sure..." Steven didn't give much indication to even hearing her, still staring upwards as his curly hair "bounced" back into place. He wasn't even aware of the sky's clear state, nor the moon's full one. Amethyst seemed to take some note of the fidgeting felt in Steven's shoulder before voicing her concern. "You okay, man?" she asked, scrutinizing Steven at a distance that she usually reserved for a select few. It certainly didn't help alleviate his hand's movements. "You take a hit to the head a little too hard or something?"

"Yep," Steven answered after a delay. A subtle sweat began collecting on his brow, which appeared to intrigue Amethyst as much as it confused her further. The night was more chill than warm, and realizing this, Steven promptly yelled at his body to stop shivering like any sane person would. Then he switched his focus back to reality, realizing his outwardly given answer. Making his own confused expression, Steven changed his answer in a voice anyone would have to call anxious. "I mean, no, I didn't hit my head. Obviously, 'cause other people did hit- but they _didn't,_ really, and... I'm fine."

Amethyst didn't think it was rude for her gaze to linger on him a little while longer, her pace slowing just a tad. "Right...?" she drew out again, unsure of how reliable Steven's answer really was. Steven was a little unsure, too. He didn't recall any blows to the brain. Would he have? Still walking next to Amethyst, Steven attempted to go over the match once more in his head. He made it as far as the "booing" of the crowd following his statement of giving away the belt before Amethyst shifted just a tad closer to him.

She didn't say anything, continuing towards the hill in silence with an unreadable expression. The moonlight offered didn't help Steven's attempt to discern Amethyst's features, though he had a feeling that direct sunlight would've had a similar effect; that is, not _any_ effect. Further inspection had the possibility of warranting questions, so Steven maintained the silence with his friend, hoping that his matching thoughts of her would stay in his head. Not that he was thinking of anything to be _guilty_ of, but he still thought it was a little odd for his attention to be so drawn to a person for as long as it was. Mentioning that length of time wasn't something Steven thought of as a good conversation starter.

Just as they crested the hill, Amethyst stopped abruptly, though still faced forward. She took a hesitant breath, as though she were about to regret whatever she did next. Not too many things came to Steven's mind that matched the sudden change in her demeanor, meaning Steven waited for an explanation instead of asking for one. "Amethyst?" was all he tried saying, still noting her lack of any kind of smile.

Wordlessly, Amethyst moved in front of him, stepping with such care that she almost glided on the soft grass underfoot. Her arm naturally trailed off of Steven's shoulder with a similar grace that she almost never possessed before, gently sliding her hand to Steven's in one fluid motion. The boy's eyes followed her, transfixed on her silent movements. Still without any verbal indication, Amethyst took another step closer, breaching the normal distance between them as though she were about to embrace him. She didn't. Steven's mouth hung the slightest bit open, the boy matching Amethyst's silence with his awed own. Then his eyes broadened as Amethyst moved a tad closer still, reducing the distance between their noses to a mere inch or so. Though the slope of the hill was still a little steep, Amethyst's eyes leveled with Steven's, having a few twinklings that didn't seem to be caused by the stars above. Neither Gem offered a word, gazing at each other in a quiet that was better understood without noise.

For a few moments, they simply stood there, gently grasping each other's hands without any explicit explanation. As casual as Steven tended to be in his friend's presence, he found a lot more trouble than usual in finding something to say. Ironically, he also found her proximity to be at fault. For better or for worse, Steven wasn't given the opportunity to speak, as Amethyst did so for him.

"You _do_ miss those belts!" she suddenly exclaimed, snapping with a satisfied nod. As if broken from a trance (although that was essentially true), Steven blinked with a minor shake of his head. Amethyst placed a hand on her hip, regaining her more common voice in place of the gentler one Steven would've assumed she'd possess about three seconds ago. "Pft, that whole talk about no reason for wrestling was real convincing. Can't fool me forever, though! You ought'a know that by now."

"Wait," Steven uncertainly began, still perplexed by his friend for numerous reasons. He forced himself to focus on one at a time, shaking his head. "What about the belts?"

Amethyst laughed as though they were sharing some inside joke. "You _know,_ " she said almost coyly, winking, "'Now that Amethyst actually _likes_ herself, I don't need to do this.' Didn't think you liked wrestling _that_ much, but I don't blame ya."

Steven allowed himself a few more moments to think before speaking again, as Amethyst's hilariously poor imitation of him didn't do much to assuage his confusion. Evidently, Amethyst had seemed to reach some conclusion about him that he doubted _he'd_ reach, meaning that she had apparently misinterpreted _something._ Trying to figure out exactly how Amethyst reached her epiphany, Steven spoke up again. "I _don't_ like wrestling that much. I think? How much is that much?"

Again, Amethyst chuckled before going to make some further joke about Steven's care for the sport, but stopped when she saw the confusion on Steven's face. Only seconds after that, and Amethyst appeared confused herself. She'd seemed to have second thoughts on her deductive skills. "But... wait," she mumbled, placing a contemplative hand on her chin. After a few moments of silence, she looked back at Steven. "I thought you were all upset about the belts, right?"

"Not really," Steven answered, shrugging. He assumed that was a given, considering the talk they'd shared both inside the wrestling ring and during the day prior. "Should I be?"

Now in her own thoughts, Amethyst waited for a few moments before responding, her confusion staying exactly where it was on her face. "Nah," she waved away, "but aren't you upset about _something?_ Or maybe miffed a little?"

Steven shook his head. The most he might've been upset about was getting beaten rather harshly at the ring, but that was accepted with open arms. Plus, he thought of the damage as more of a badge than a wound or two. "What would I be mad about?" he asked his friend, naturally walking a step or two towards her. He hesitated a little before continuing, trying to reach that earlier ease of talking to his friend that he's so easily had before. "I'm hanging out with you, aren't I?"

"Aw, shucks," Amethyst waved with a flattered grin. Steven was only given a few seconds to appreciate her smile before Amethyst frowned again, stepping towards him a little herself. "But if you ain't bitter or anything, then why're you acting..."

She hesitated a moment, then apparently thought she'd said too much to back out where she wanted to. "Why're you acting so weird, man?"

Under normal circumstances, Steven would've said that he _wasn't._ However, even he could tell that he didn't fully "act natural" despite his best efforts. The irksome part was that he couldn't really tell _why._ Steven kept himself quiet, trying to come up with a response that would result in as little futile introspection as possible. Before he could, however, Amethyst stepped a little closer still.

"You don't really look _comfortable,_ " she started, listing her reasoning, "Your arm was kinda spazzing out. You're looking a bit sweaty, no offense, and that song wasn't _More Than a Thought,_ either."

Amethyst looked at him expectantly, crossing her arms in a concerned pose Steven rarely found her in. Guilty without knowing why, Steven deflated, feeling that there shouldn't really have been a reason for him to act oddly. Surely thinking about someone was a natural occurrence. As much as he wanted to wave off the notion, however, Steven did have to admit that the effects of thinking about his friend warranted some inspection. Unfortunately, what little inspection he did manage accomplished nothing. Steven wrung his hands, wishing for a moment that Amethyst was the kind of person to forget about such a superficially trivial matter. Of course, if it concerned Steven, she _wasn't_ that kind of person.

Knowing this, Steven sighed, and decided to tell Amethyst as much as he could. "I..." he began quietly, still wringing his hands. Being as inexperienced as he was, Steven didn't have much faith in his words being taken seriously, though did try to answer honestly. "I don't know. It's... weird."

Though he could've added more to his statement, Steven still wasn't _lying_.Unfortunately, Amethyst appeared to think something along those lines, sighing in Steven's following quiet. He'd hoped that, given his usual character, Amethyst could see that he was telling her the truth. He really _didn't_ know why he was acting so weird, as Amethyst had put it. The reasons for him doing so were as new as they were ambiguous. Heck, just yesterday he was horsing around with Amethyst like it was a part of nature. By this point, it _was_. Steven didn't know whether to ask _what_ changed in the past 24 hours, or _if_ anything had changed. Nothing came to mind.

"That answer kinda sucks, not gonna lie," he heard in front of him. Sighing in acknowledgement, Steven looked up, seeing Amethyst scratch the back of her neck in some nervous manner. She seemed to ponder another important decision, though also seemed to act on her decision a lot faster than beforehand. At the very least, she seemed to more easily accept her decision, a braced kind of determination settling on her features. Steven didn't ponder it too much, trying to come up with an answer that would at least satisfy Amethyst. If he was lucky, he might get an answer that satisfied _him_.

Suddenly, Amethyst was in his field of vision once more. This wasn't because she'd moved to where Steven's eyes lay, he noted; she simply moved _closer,_ bringing her face less than an inch from his so that nothing else really occupied his field of vision. A few quiet seconds passed before she spoke up, having that earlier kind of twinkling in her eyes once more. This time, however, it looked a lot more genuine. "It'd be really hard to surprise me, Steven," she stated, sounding noticeably quieter than she tended to be. Her hands were placed on his, also having a touch far gentler than they usually had. "You know that, right?"

About five seconds passed before Steven's brain caught up again. Even then, all it'd accomplished was telling him to nod without really knowing why. In retrospect, Steven would've given Amethyst an honest answer right then and there. He liked to think he was a sincere enough person to be honest rather than build on some unnecessary lies. Amethyst wasn't exactly lying in her statement, either, meaning she was better than most to explain why he was having as much trouble with thinking as he was. She'd even probably be _eager_ to help when she learned that his thoughts were _about_ her. Steven had all the reasons in the world to just talk like a normal human/Gem being to his friend.

Instead, he blurted out the first thing that was on his mind. "You're really close."

Despite Amethyst's statement, she appeared surprised by those three words. Steven didn't blame her. If she wasn't as close as Steven said she was, he probably would've slapped himself more than once. Quietly, Amethyst looked at the proximity between herself and Steven, a small blush filling her cheeks as she realized how true Steven was. Either one of them could count the blades of grass between their feet. "Uh," the Gem started, still quiet. The worrisome part was how much anxiety she had in her voice; _Steven_ was supposed to be the nervous one, not his friend. Amethyst removed her hands and began stepping away sheepishly, somehow forgetting about how Steven was also supposed to be the one put on the spot. "Yeah, sorry about-"

"No!" Steven hastily proclaimed. Instinctively, he stepped forward, gripping Amethyst's hand. Like he was now trying to contradict Amethyst's statement, she appeared startled again, either by Steven's jump forward or the tight contact of his grasp. Steven was only half aware of his own imbalance from stepping down the hill, focusing more on his friend rather than his actions. "That's fine!"

Now Amethyst didn't move at all, as though she was the one unbalanced on the hill. Steven assumed that was his fault (the lack of movement, not the imbalance). Amethyst simply looked at him, having a simultaneously stunned and uncertain expression on her features. Rather than a normal response about how Steven was being weird again, the Gem stared in silence, her minor blush persisting for just a tad longer. Regardless, Steven continued, thinking that anything else would've been far better than just leaving off on where he did. His features softened just a fraction. "I wasn't complaining or anything."

For a few moments, Amethyst kept staring at him, not giving any indication of hearing what he said. Digesting exactly that allowed for Steven to wonder if it was beneficial for Amethyst be momentarily deaf. After an agonizing delay, Amethyst shook her head as if to clear some thought. It ended up reminding Steven of _his_ thoughts, and he subsequently removed his grasp, trying to keep an analytical mind-set instead of a spacious one. What little experience he earned by now was used to get back to the usual friendly interactions he had with Amethyst, admittedly with some difficulty. Amethyst snorted, rolling her eyes as Steven's hand returned to his side.

"Weirdo," she muttered with a noticeable chuckle. Any awkwardness about the situation was obliterated with her laugh, the Gem comfortably stepping back towards Steven. As the surprise on her face melted away, Steven's eyes shot back downwards on instinct, half-consciously numbering the blades of grass between him and his friend. He looked back up when he registered the boots in front of him, and found Amethyst with the wide smile she almost always had. Her transition from nervousness to ease was so quick that Steven was half-certain that it was something of a super power. Ironically, that put him at ease a bit, too.

"That your round-about way of askin' for a hug?" Amethyst asked almost playfully, smirking. The notion didn't surprise Steven, as he was too busy appreciating how quickly Amethyst had stepped back to him to be all that startled. Eventually, Steven opened his mouth, still being careful to talk like a normal person. His friend's casual demeanor made it that much easier. "Not exactly, but-"

"Yeah, it is," Amethyst cut him off with a small laugh. Having proclaimed what was apparently the truth, the Gem complied with it, not having the slightest hesitation to wrap her arms around Steven. Rather than comment on her abrupt willingness to embrace him, Steven kept his mouth shut, not daring to apply any further awkwardness when it was so cleanly removed. The riskiest action he dared was to reciprocate the embrace, and judging by the following tightness, that was a good risk to take. After a few moments, Steven saw the hug as Amethyst's method of helping. Considering she shouldn't have known that he _needed_ any form of help, what with his lacking answers, Steven thought he might've been reaching a tad. Still, that answer felt right, especially since he had reached it _without_ trying to justify Amethyst's embrace. Her "therapy" was effective either way.

For some time, Steven simply stood there, arms clasped around Amethyst. The slope of the hill made him stand about an inch above Amethyst, which Steven thought of as comical, in a way. A few seconds passed. Amethyst sighed, but otherwise didn't move in any shape or form. Most of the time, Steven would be able to tell when a hug lingered on for too long, having more than enough experiences with them. However, Steven could only guess at when he was "supposed" to let go, meaning he was hesitant to try. Amethyst didn't say anything, still just holding onto him contently.

Eventually, Steven relaxed his grasp by a fraction. Amethyst didn't do anything in response; in fact, Steven might've felt her own grasp around him _increase_. He still wasn't going to complain soon, though the gentle breathing felt through his shirt made that more due to being distracted rather than anything else. Or maybe it was the obvious warmth of her bare arms that was distracting? Probably both. However long they were _supposed_ to be hugging for, the fifteen-second mark _did_ warrant some kind of questioning for the sake of making sure the other person was still awake. "Amethyst?" Steven inquired quietly, tilting his head slightly. In response, Amethyst's head tilted into his, the Gem leaning on him almost like she _did_ fall asleep. A subtle rub was felt on Steven's back.

"Hey, Steven?" she said quietly. Much more quietly than she's been before. Considering that the record was just broken only a few minutes ago, Steven snapped his attention to her (though it already was, really). Hesitantly, Steven hummed acknowledgement, still unsure of what Amethyst was thinking. He was plenty busy becoming accustomed to the new thoughts about her to figure _her_ out, and the constant addition to those thoughts didn't make it any easier on him. Amethyst continued after an audible gulp, though her grasp still didn't relax. "I... really suck at this."

Added to the original surprise of when Amethyst first "figured out" why Steven was acting so strangely, Steven began to lose a little faith in his ability to read his friend, regardless of how busy he was. The grasp around him relaxed in tandem with this thought. Then Amethyst's grasp tightened to a degree that made industrial compressors jealous, and the next moment, Steven's back was attempting to merge with the ground.

" _Number one rule of wrestling!_ " Amethyst was suddenly exclaiming, sounding almost like a military officer. Steven was still too dazed from the impact to find where her voice had emanated from, though he could recognize the Gem above him when the stars in the sky came back into focus. It took a bit longer for the stars in his eyes to clear away. Still disoriented, Steven vaguely registered the hands on his forearms pinning him to the ground as Amethyst shook her head in mock disappointment. Attempting to get back up let him feel her legs pushing on his. " _Never_ let your guard down. Thought I taught you better than that."

It might've been the familiarity that allowed Steven to switch trains of thought so seamlessly. Moreover, it was the familiarity added with a combination of factors, most of which relating to Amethyst's usual character being better understood with time (particularly today). For a fraction of a second, Steven felt his lips turn up in a slight smile, though he reverted to a disappointed expression too fast for Amethyst to tell. Previous experience with Pearl made him confident he had his plan hidden. "Yep," he sighed sadly. Amethyst looked far too smug to feel any shift in his arms, so Steven took the risk, bracing. "Can't believe I forgot that. You got me."

"Darn right I-" was all Amethyst could say before Steven swept his arms upwards through the grass, breaking free of Amethyst's hold. Like he had anticipated, Amethyst had taken his bait and relaxed her grasp in triumph, meaning Steven's arms were now free. He wasted no time rolling to the side, taking advantage of Amethyst's weight leaning more towards her arms than her legs. Of course, since Amethyst was the one above _him,_ he had to move around _her_. Amethyst gave out a small gasp of surprise as her back collided with the hill, hopefully not too hard. Within seconds, the Gems had swapped positions, albeit about a foot or two to the right. Steven tried to be less forceful in his grasp, though still had a firm hold on Amethyst's arms.

"Tsk, tsk," Steven tutted, now the smug one. The surprise on Amethyst's face was far too priceless for him to be the better man. "I thought you weren't supposed to let your guard down, Amethyst."

Even with a lock of silver draped in front of her eye, Steven could see the glow in her face as easily as he had distracted Amethyst. She laughed for a moment- a sound that Steven had unconsciously attributed to the laugh of an angel- but recomposed herself like she usually did. Her current state of capture seemed to make that a harder task for her, though. "Maybe I _have_ taught you well," she admitted, shrugging as much as Steven's grip would allow. A pause in her admittance let Steven see she was expecting his grasp to relax, and she nodded in approval when it didn't. However, her expression didn't change at all, the Gem looking contently at her friend. "But..."

She trailed off, piquing Steven's interest. He looked at her inquisitively, then felt the smallest indication of movement in Amethyst's arms. Wrestling instincts kicked in, and he tightened his grasp with a continually smug grin. It was when Amethyst reciprocated that smug grin that Steven realized his blunder. Just as fast as Steven had taken advantage of Amethyst letting down her guard, Amethyst took advantage of the decreased balance awarded towards Steven's legs, sweeping her own outwards and causing Steven to drop forward. In one smooth movement, Amethyst pulled her weight upwards, rolling backwards off her head and taking Steven with her. The most evidence Steven had ever gotten the better of her was the flattened patch of grass now resting a little below their current position on the hill.

Now used to the roll-induced dazes, Steven laughed a lot sooner than before, his friend chuckling similarly. "Still got a lot to learn, bud," she teased him, throwing her hair back for a moment to get a better view of the boy underneath her. Steven noted how Amethyst's hands lacked the real tightness they had the first time she'd pinned him, which might've been an invitation for all he knew. For the time being, he didn't quite take it. Steven would've outwardly stated the cause of his delay as making sure Amethyst allowed him to move, but honestly, it was more of that earlier distraction that kept him still. It was her fault for having such shiny hair, anyways. The brief quiet let him understand that something about the distraction was worthy of inspection, especially considering the continuity of it, but the current moment placed that inspection far lower on Steven's priority list.

Just as Amethyst's mischievous grin began fading, Steven forced himself back to reality and performed the same arm-sweeping maneuver that he'd used before. Seeing it work twice in succession solidified the fact that Amethyst wasn't trying to be professional by any means (though that was common knowledge, really). However, just as Amethyst fell forward, an unexpected gap in Steven's train of thought prevented him from actually moving now that he was freed. This resulted in Amethyst unceremoniously dropping onto Steven's chest rather than being put in another hold. The impact had little, well, _impact,_ as Steven was too busy pondering what was supposed to go in the empty space his brain had provided him with. The odd sensation of someone laughing directly on his chest brought his attention back to his friend.

"What was _that?"_ Amethyst questioned through an impressively long series of giggles. She placed her hands back on the ground to lift herself up, chuckling with a wide grin. Steven, after noting how his brain had graduated to being _six_ seconds behind the rest of the world, could only grin sheepishly, asking himself the same question. To be fair, it was probably Amethyst's fault that he couldn't follow through. The Gem only proved that as she waved a stray bang of her hair to the side, her scratchy laughter gradually trickling away. Now quiet, Steven looked on at his friend, seeing a visible blush in her cheeks. His attempt at a mental reboot had little effect, and he put off wrestling for just a bit longer while his brain went on autopilot.

Instead of capitalizing on Amethyst's distracted state, Steven took another moment to appreciate the way that Amethyst's hair waved in the moonlight. Anyone with sense would have, seeing how its light movements had a similar aspect to her laughter. Steven was convinced that it was normal for the rare grace to be described as... heavenly, and his ardor towards the silver promptly broadened to a broader, more welcome acknowledgement of Amethyst's aesthetics in total. His current place on the ground made discerning similar features rather easy, letting him fully appreciate his friend in a pleasant way he wasn't quite used to. Steven found his gaze moving from the fullness of Amethyst's lips to the incredible blue of her eyes, both of which making a persuasive case to be focused on. Even the stout build of his friend was recognized in a manner Steven had trouble describing. Speaking bluntly, she looked _good._ Her attire, too, had gone so far as to complement her figure, being so casual as to expose-

"Steven?" the young Gem heard, melting his thoughts like frozen glass. It was more of a melt than a shatter, as the first syllable of his name sounded far hazier than the second. Steven blinked for a moment, slowly being torn away from whatever daydream he'd been distracted with. He blinked a couple more times as Amethyst repeated his name, each a tad louder than the last. Whether she'd increased her volume or he just became better at hearing, Steven couldn't tell. Either way, Steven instinctively brought a hand to his ear, thinking that it was plugged up. Then he promptly realized Amethyst had released her grasp on him a while ago, allowing him to move as such. The hand that was previously wrapped around his forearm now snapped in front of his face, ridding the last scraps of adoration from his mind. Or rather, moving them.

"Hey, you alive?" Amethyst tried again. "Did I dislocate your brain or something?" The purple hand in front of Steven moved aside, allowing him to see the worry on Amethyst's features. She looked genuinely concerned about knocking something loose in Steven's head. In retrospect, she might have, though not for the reasons Steven would have assumed. At the moment, however, all Steven moved to do was reassure Amethyst he was fine. Speaking honestly, he wasn't entirely sure he _was_ anymore. It became almost impossible to revert back to his usual casualness he had with Amethyst.

"Y-yeah!" he hastily told her, waving his hands defensively. Steven made a point of sitting up a little, seeing that Amethyst didn't buy his answer in the slightest. She didn't move herself, meaning the distance between the both of them decreased a bit more than Steven intended for it to. "I'm fine. Just some harmless wrestling, that's all."

Amethyst glanced at him, squinting her eyes in a way Steven usually called disbelievingly. Obviously, she still didn't buy his answer, which he couldn't blame her for. Her gaze felt more inquisitive than doubtful. "Sure..." she drew out, nodding not quite _cynically,_ but definitely sarcastically. Even though the action was good-natured, Steven became slightly more aware of the knees pressing into his. "It's just that 'harmless wrestling' usually has a lot less staring. Like, _way_ less staring."

"Staring?" Steven repeated instantly. He hadn't recalled doing as much, though that was more because he wasn't really focused on the act of looking. Steven sat up further, and seeing that Amethyst _still_ didn't move back to a normal distance, he moved back to the ground he was forced against. "I was staring?"

Amethyst snorted, her laugh being heard with almost disconcerting clarity in Steven's ears. It'd almost caused a repeat of his previous break from reality, though he was too wary now to recede back into his mind. "Big time," Amethyst said, a tad of casualness returning to her voice. According to the matching return of her grasp to Steven's arms, she didn't seem to give many dire thoughts towards Steven's daydream. He wasn't sure he could say the same. Amethyst continued, moving back to the pinned position she'd put Steven in just a moment ago. "Now, you gonna give up or what?"

Obviously, Amethyst was inviting Steven to do otherwise, but he still couldn't believe that she'd ignored what might've been a solid minute of silent gawking at her so easily. _He_ certainly couldn't have. Still, Steven forced himself to forget about it; at the very least, he'd ponder the act later. Right now, he had an unspoken title to uphold. Smirking, the boy prepared to move his arms upwards once more; just enough for Amethyst to notice. She feigned a yawn, even letting go of one of Steven's arms to wave her hand in front of her mouth. "C'mon, Steven," she chided, still grinning. "I've seen that trick twice now."

Matching her grin, Steven shrugged, noted how he _could_ shrug, and decided to try something else. The one thing that came to mind was a bit out of the ordinary, but that quality also made it rather reliable. Steven punished Amethyst's removal of her grasp by raising a hand just under her arm. Out of surprise, Amethyst didn't stop the action, allowing Steven to hover just an inch from the side of her ribs. That was a mistake on her part. He didn't do anything just quite yet, though he might as well have been hovering over a nuclear launch button from the way Amethyst's grin faded. In turn, Steven's grew, filled with a mischievousness that he found more often in Amethyst's smiles. The violet Gem was suddenly halted, her arm frozen halfway to returning around Steven's. She stared, wide-eyed. "You wouldn't," she muttered, sounding more like she was trying to reassure herself.

"Wouldn't I?" Steven offered. Essentially, the prospect of what came next was enough for him to emerge victorious _now,_ but both the Gems knew that being proclaimed the "winner" wasn't what they were trying to accomplish. Steven wiggled his fingers menacingly; not that Amethyst could see that much, as she was too busy glaring at Steven to notice his preemptive gloating. "I thought this was just _harmless_ wrestling," Amethyst tried reminding him in a dangerously low tone. Steven moved his hand a fraction of an inch closer to Amethyst's side, grinning innocently.

"It is," he answered with a shrug. Amethyst instantly shot her arm back to capture Steven's as he did so, but she was still too late. Steven's fingers were already drumming against her ribs, moving in a sporadic motion that Amethyst had dreaded to call "tickling." Not even a full second passed after registering Steven's contact when a scratchy laugh escaped Amethyst's lips, far more forcefully than she'd have liked. The following spasms did little to strengthen her hold on Steven's arm, letting him continue with his own laughter. The other arm already holding onto Steven had loosened just enough for him to free himself, though he didn't have any intent to move. All he did with his newly restored freedom was provide symmetry to Amethyst's sides, subsequently intensifying her laughter. Inadvertently, his laughter intensified, too.

"S-stop!" Amethyst tried through her chuckling, attempting to swat away Steven's arms. She wasn't very successful. "T-that's playin' dirty!"

Steven had to admit she had a point, though he also had to admit _she_ was usually the one to resort to such low tactics. He thought it was a pleasant form of revenge. Making an active effort to not get _too_ focused on Amethyst's laughing, Steven moved further, easily rolling over Amethyst. She was moving far too much to maintain any kind of balanced position, and the brief (but lighthearted) glares she managed to slip between bouts of laughter let Steven know she was only too aware of it. He wasn't entirely sure how long he had kept his arms under Amethyst's, but he decided to relent a little when her movements lost what little input they had. The fact that he was losing a bit of his own stamina due to _his_ laughter had nothing to do with it.

Half panting and half laughing, Steven moved his hands to the short grass of the hill, as he certainly didn't trust his balance enough to support him. Most would think _he_ had been the one being tickled, he'd been laughing so hard. Amethyst had the luxury of lying directly on her back, letting her arms splay outwards as she caught her breath. She seemed to start a few sentences, but was about as successful as she had been at forming an authentic frown. Her head raised for a moment before plopping back down in the grass with a _*thump*_. One of her hands waved in the air almost defiantly. "You," she began with another lingering giggle. The Gem took a breath as her arm draped across her eyes with about as much grace as she had while eating. "You are _the worst._ "

A short delay followed. Then Steven shrugged agreement, telling Amethyst "I learn from the worst." The small break from laughing Amethyst had attempted to take was cut even shorter, and the Gem threw her hand against her forehead with another series of chuckling. If the noise wasn't so pleasant, Steven likely would've followed suit. However, the lingering effect that her laughter had first induced threw his thoughts into an odd sort of haze, and Steven unconsciously returned to the daydream he'd been so eager to ignore. Maybe it was less of a daydream and more of a state of appreciation, as Steven was still very much aware of his friend. Whatever it was called, Steven felt his breaths slowing back down to a normal pace as his grin stayed where it was, reflecting the captivity he'd found in his friend.

Amethyst, being the tortured one, took a bit longer to get her breathing to stabilize. She removed her hand from her face, dragging it off with the same amount of grace she'd used in putting it there. Her eyes wandered for a bit before settling on Steven, and subsequently widened when she witnessed his rather obvious stare. If he wasn't so infatuated with her, Steven might've worried about looking the least bit odd. Still, he couldn't have seemed too creepy, as Amethyst's smile persisted for a little bit longer. "You're doin' it again, bud," she muttered, half-consciously adjusting one tank top strap. The Gem shook her head, resting an arm at her side. "At this rate, you might as well-"

"You're beautiful," Steven interrupted.

 _That_ seemed to get Amethyst's attention. About instantly, Amethyst's eyes broadened like she was trying to imitate the size of Steven's eyes. Heck, she probably one-upped him. As he would've expected, Amethyst stared back at him, mouth slightly agape. She didn't really jump at the chance to say anything back, seemingly trying to digest Steven's words. He didn't, being too preoccupied with the Gem beneath him. After about three attempts to respond like a normal person, Amethyst gave up on trying to say something back, shutting her mouth and snapping her head to the side. She'd turned to her left, though, meaning her long bangs did little to cover up her rather obvious blush. In turn, that did little to devalue Steven's statement.

"I, uh-" Amethyst almost choked out the words. She brought a fist to her mouth as if to bite it. Steven was only half aware of his small chuckling, finding some further adoration in Amethyst's reaction. After a few silent moments of one Gem feeling a whole lot more comfortable than the other, Amethyst cleared her throat, then spoke almost carefully. "You... ain't really making this easy, Steven."

Still caught up in his own world, Steven responded half on instinct. The only thing that even slightly brought him away from his daydream was the odd, almost _guilty_ way Amethyst had muttered her statement. "Making what easy?" he inquired, sounding both piqued and mesmerized.

Steven wasn't given any verbal answer, and even then, he only understood Amethyst's answer much later. Just as he finished his question, Steven felt Amethyst's arms suddenly thrown around his neck. The action was abrupt enough to break him from his thoughts, but being pulled so suddenly downward didn't give him any stable thoughts to return to. Steven felt his hands instinctively give way from the ground just in time to register Amethyst's lips. Physically. He discovered first-hand what her mouth's fullness felt like pressed up against his, the violet Gem pushing herself against him. Gravity had helped, but Steven's instincts had, too. He had little else to rely on. Going with the moment, Steven relaxed his arms further and returned Amethyst's kiss with nothing more than what his chest told him to do. There wasn't much space to put his arms around Amethyst's neck, though he had cupped her face softly, acting with little thought.

Barely, Steven felt a hand run through his curly hair, and he reciprocated the action, managing to end up with his other hand around the back of Amethyst's neck. She'd brought herself up further to him in deepening the kiss, which Steven later realized only took about five seconds in reality. His breathing picked up a tad in response. Some of the hill's grass blades brushed against Steven's fingers, as he gave much less thinking towards the act of actually supporting himself on the ground. The most of a coherent thought he had was to avoid going any lower than where his hands already were, for obvious reasons. Amethyst didn't seem to have such a thought, leaning further into Steven while her free hand gripped ever so slightly at his back. It'd incited him to follow, but he was too busy with his mouth to actively think about the specifics of what he was doing.

Steven wasn't sure what he would've done next; at the moment, anything seemed to be in the realm of possibilities, especially without the proper use of his brain. Unfortunately, humans (and subsequently Steven) needed air. As his mouth was currently occupied, Steven wasn't getting a whole lot of that. Admittedly, it took a while for breathing to surpass locking his lips with Amethyst's in terms of priorities, but Steven's brain forced him to break away just as he felt Amethyst's lips part a tad more. Instantly, the young Gem took a deep breath of air, realizing exactly how intimate (and subsequently oxygen deprived) he'd been after a mandatory seven-second delay. He fell to the ground beside Amethyst with a grassy _*thump*_ , his whole body giving up on carrying itself when the full impact of needing air hit him like a truck filled with bricks. As his chest heaved up and down in rhythm to his heavy breaths, Steven heard Amethyst fall to the ground beside him in a similar manner.

Despite Gems apparently not needing air, Amethyst seemed to have suffered a similar fate to Steven, according to her own heavy breaths. She didn't offer any words, though Steven had the idea that her gasps had little to do with that. He wouldn't have said much if _he_ was fine. Both the Gems lie on the ground inactively, the full implications settling in so gradually they were hard to believe. As their breathing returned to normal at a similar pace, Steven tried risking a glance at Amethyst several times, but couldn't find the courage. Instead, he tried bringing that "analytical" mind-set to the past minute or so, and couldn't find the courage for that, either. Rather, it was a sense of awe, maybe with a bit of curiosity sprinkled in, that brought his mind to the past minute.

Not many words could be found to describe his thoughts towards the matter. As many times as Steven went over what just happened in his head, he couldn't put it into any kind of understandable terminology. That might've been due to his mind being a haze during the majority of it, though. Staring upwards at the stars, Steven still tried for something to say for the sake of common courtesy, but couldn't find anything worthwhile. Most statements that came to mind consisted of "Wow."

"Wow," Steven heard beside him. Tentatively, he risked a glance at his friend, finding her staring up at the sky like he just was. Now her eyes were _really_ twinkling. Overall, her expression was almost neutral, but the excessive blood in Amethyst's face gave a fairly good indication of what she was thinking. Not that Steven was going to say it out loud, since that might've also been what _he_ was thinking. Amethyst's lips turned upwards just a fraction as she continued. Or, at least, she tried to continue. "That was... wow."

That was one way to word it. Nodding, Steven returned his eyes above, feeling his own blush like a pair of matches being held to his cheeks. "I know what you mean," he agreed quietly. The rush of the moment was fading gradually, but Steven still understood that rush long after it'd been over with. It was... something else, that's for sure. "Wow" didn't begin to cover it, though that was evidently as far as either Gem could get. Any lasting implications of their "interaction" would have to be pondered much later, for a multitude of reasons (calling it a simple "kiss" didn't really do it justice, Steven found). Steven could blame the late hour for his procrastination, but he didn't think either Gem would believe that. As a result, Steven hummed to himself, trying best to "act natural."

"So," he started, trying to reach the point of normalcy he had with Amethyst literally a day ago. Within 24 hours, that point might as well have been in the next galaxy, so Steven settled on any further exchanges between his friend and him being a bit off. He didn't settle on that fact _comfortably,_ though. Steven thought for _something_ to talk about, thinking that any semblance of a normal conversation would alleviate the awkward air. "What was it that you said you sucked at?"

Well, that didn't exactly lighten the mood. As casual as Amethyst usually was, she seemed startled at hearing Steven's voice, and even more startled at the question he asked. Steven didn't risk more than a brief glance at her, though found more than enough in her expression. Still having that shine in her eyes, Amethyst sat up a little, pulling her legs up ever so slightly. She seemed to mull over her words before even daring to open her mouth.

"Bein' sentimental," she breathed out with a sigh. Now piqued, Steven sat up himself, looking back at Amethyst. The blush on her face hadn't diminished in the slightest, though the Gem seemed to rebound off of their more intimate moment far easier than Steven had. Outwardly, at least. Amethyst looked to the side, waving some of the hair from her face. "I mean, I _tried,_ but..."

Somehow, Steven could feel the guilt on her features despite how she turned away. A minor frown brought his eyebrows together, and the boy scooted himself a bit closer to Amethyst. For obvious reasons, he still tried to keep a respectable distance, though he wasn't sure exactly what that distance was. "How do you mean?" he inquired quietly. "I think you were plenty sentimental."

Suddenly, Amethyst shot him a look, making him realize his poor choice of words. Being careful about his word-choice was less of a worry than making sure he could speak in the first place. Steven quickly raised his hands in defense, trying to explain himself better. "I-I didn't mean... y'know, kissing. I meant... you don't _have_ to force yourself to 'be sentimental' or anything."

Amethyst's glare lingered for a bit, but the evident blush in her cheeks made it far less intense than she seemed to want. Then, the glare melted away, transforming into a patient smirk with a sigh. "I know, Steven," she said, shaking her head. Her smile seemed more subconscious than voluntary, but Steven enjoyed the sight either way. "I just... I guess I thought that was how to help ya."

Steven prepared to ask what exactly she had intended to help him _with_ , but further thought made the answer fairly obvious. After all, the odd behavior around her had been more than obvious to the both of them. Steven nodded, a slight grin of his own pulling his lips upwards. "Nah," he said with a wave, "You don't have to force yourself." For a brief moment, he felt as pleasantly casual as he tended to be around Amethyst in spite of the exceedingly "affectionate" kiss between the both of them. He didn't quite _ignore_ the interaction, instead placing it more comfortably with his other memories of Amethyst. "Just being you is enough."

Amethyst laughed lightly, leaning a bit towards Steven. "You're _way_ better at this than I am, huh?" she admitted. Still, she sighed almost reservedly, looking back up at the clear sky above. "Thing is, though... I don't think I was _just_ tryin' to help you. Y'know?"

Understanding her now more than ever, Steven nodded. He knew a lot more than he had ten minutes ago, and one of those newly gained bits of information involved precisely what Amethyst's intentions were in kissing him. As far as his own thoughts about the matter went, Steven was... content, he'd say. Sure, the newly found intimacy he'd discovered with Amethyst had a lot to work out, but for now, Steven was pleased enough to know that he _had_ that intimacy with her. Later would happen eventually, anyways; now was _now._

Living in that now, Steven moved a bit closer to Amethyst and gazed up at the clear night, already becoming accustomed to the Gem's more impactful presence. She had apparently felt similar, reaching over a tad to place her hand on his. Unsurprisingly, her contact held a lot more of a cozy feeling now. A thought occurred to Steven, and he turned towards Amethyst inquisitively. She had taken to Steven's position, lying back down on the hill, but still faced towards him in a manner he had difficulty describing.

Actually... now, he thought he had a pretty good idea of how Amethyst was looking at him.

Reasoning that he likely had a similar look on his features. Steven spoke up, trying best to sound casual. "Hey, Amethyst?" he began, still quieter than he tried to be. Too much felt different for his voice to be spared, he assumed. Still, he wasn't bothered.

As if broken from a trance, Amethyst blinked, then shook her head. She wasted no time in reverting back to the casual state she'd taken to, though the apprehension about her stare was fairly evident. "Yeah, Steven?" she responded after a delay. From the sound of her following hum, Amethyst's voice had been a bit quieter than she would have liked as well. Even if the comfort was slow to settle back in, at least it was there. After another delay, Steven thumped his head back onto the grass, wondering too many things for his brain to accurately think.

"I think I know why I was acting so weird."

An audible snort attracted his attention back to Amethyst, and he found her with a comical smile. "Took you long enough."

* * *

 **A/N:** My second kissing scene! And it's definitely a bit more in-depth than the first. Fun fact; it took me like over a month to notice how similar this one was to the first one in chapter two. Ah well, guess I got a thing for tickling? I dunno, lol. Hope you liked this one! :D


	5. Candor

**A/N:** I don't think this is the _best_ drabble I've written, but hopefully you'll still enjoy it. Not a whole to say beyond the fact that this had multiple revisions both before and after it was posted. Eh?

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Candor_

 _Steven finds an unexpected guest in his bed._

 _"I'm not worth it!" he heard, the voice echoing through the valley of stone. The cry seemed to emanate from every available cavity that could be found cut into the walls, reverberating off the various drills lying around. Without any indication, he stepped back uncertainly, trying in vain to find the owner of the voice. He ran to the nearest hole, desperately calling out a name. No reply was given. The hole proved vacant, only inhabited by a few unrecognizable shards of glass._

 _The call resounded through his ears again, this time much louder than before. A mechanical grinding followed not long after, as if in response to the disheartening statement. Turning around let him see one of the broken machines spring to life. Despite the dilapidation of it, the drill's movements were eerily smooth, the machine quickly whirring and standing back up into a pose that looked almost human. A few moments of fearful fascination passed, and the machine's legs ground against each other in a shambling movement towards him. However, just as he accepted his fate, the machine strode past him, lurching towards one of the many holes in the walls. He could only stare blankly at its destination, the one hole appearing smaller than the others. Like a doctor prior to injection, it raised its tremendous spinning spike above the opening before plunging into it._

 _Around that same time, a loud_ *crack* _could be heard, not at all resembling the sound of stone._

"Gah!" Steven exclaimed, ungracefully flailing himself up to a sitting position. The blanket over him was nearly thrown off in the panic. He breathed heavily, his lungs uninfluenced by the short fear-induced spasm. Clutching his chest, Steven tried to get his bearings, unable to accomplish much for a considerable length of time. The first thing he was even able to notice was the cold sweat adorning his forehead as he gradually got his breathing back under control.

The comfortable warmth of wherever Steven was did help put him at ease, though not immediately. It was a fair change of pace from the chill of the stone valley he was just in. After a fair amount of time, he eventually calmed himself enough to discern the difference between what was and wasn't real. His eyes fell downwards with a final sigh. Even if his vision was used to the dark of his room, he had some difficulty seeing any specifics of where he was. The clear night outside helped speed up the process. Still, he was hesitant to feel comfortable.

"Dream," he breathed out, relaxing a fraction. Rubbing his face, Steven let his initial alarm dissipate. It'd been so long since he had a nightmare of his _own_ , he'd forgotten what it was like. Definitely not an experience he had missed. While somewhat curious about the contents of his nightmare, they were familiar enough (for better or for worse) that not a whole lot needed to be thought about. His concerns about Amethyst were one of the things he had little difficulty in trying to figure out. Of course, as the nightmare proved by simply existing, the fact that his concerns were still there was something of a problem in its own right. Not much could be done about his worry for the time being, though. Returning to sleep was somewhat of a challenge at the moment, so he let his eyes wander for a bit rather than attempt to return to the nightmare he pulled himself from.

A few objects kept his attention; an old shirt he never got around to putting away, an empty video-game case, that one broken action figure he couldn't bring himself to throw away. Of all the things that grabbed his eyes, though, a quiet snore to his left proved far more interesting. He snapped his head towards the noise, lingering paranoia from his nightmare keeping him attentive.

Seeing the person next to him didn't quite dissipate his paranoia. He could've _sworn_ he was awake now; not much immediate sense could be found in Amethyst lying next to him. As a result of her very real presence, all Steven could accomplish was a quiet stare, half-consciously watching her quiet snores. On instinct, he lifted a hand from his blanket to reach towards Amethyst, gently touching her face as though to make sure she was real. The action definitely didn't feel like he was confirming if she was still asleep or not; Steven's known her long enough to know when she was and wasn't napping. Sure enough, the subtle warmth of her skin confirmed that his nightmare's culprit was within touching distance. In response to his contact, Amethyst snorted with a small twitch, but otherwise remained in slumber. Steven was slow to pull his hand away, still feeling like his brain was filled with television static.

Suddenly, the proper station clicked in, and Steven's eyes broadened considerably.

For lack of inconsistency, Steven exclaimed another yelp of surprise, the young Gem unceremoniously flailing away from Amethyst out of sheer confusion. The recoil shot him a fair distance from her; enough to feel the support of his bed no longer present. Just a moment after this realization, Steven felt gravity take hold, pulling him to the floor rather forcefully. Not even a half-dozen seconds passed since his epiphany when the boy hit the floor of his room with a _*thud*_. His following yelp was a tad louder, though he'd later blame that on the surprise rather than the brief impact.

Steven barely heard a louder snort from Amethyst, though didn't see much of her from where he was. Checking whether or not she was awake wasn't that high on his priority list, though, so he focused more on sitting back up. Placing a hand on his bed, Steven half-consciously rubbed the back of his head, thanking that he didn't hit any of the sharp corners of his nightstand. Once he was sure that his minor headache was due to waking up so rapidly as opposed to blunt trauma, he glanced towards his bed's unexpected occupant.

Amethyst now sat up in his bed, appearing more than bedraggled. Her hair was even messier than usual. Though her eyes were still closed, the Gem's yawn gave Steven enough information to know that she'd hear him if he talked. However, he waited a bit longer, the last scraps of uncertainty being hesitant to leave. It wasn't every night he so suddenly found out he was hosting a sleep-over, especially with the same person he more-or-less dreamed about. Amethyst peeled her one exposed eye open, looking around like she'd just been woken from a trance (that _was_ the case, actually). She apathetically scratched her cheek as she looked around, not once seeming surprised by where she was. Eventually, her gaze caught Steven's.

The two Gems looked at each other for a small while, one of them appearing a lot more questioning than the other. About ten seconds of silence passed before Amethyst offered anything.

"'Sup," was all she said to Steven, waving languidly.

Still stupefied, Steven gave a perplexed frown to Amethyst. On instinct, he waved back, adding, "Hi."

Another brief delay of silence followed before Steven forced his brain to at least _attempt_ to function. "Uh, Amethyst?" he began, raising an eyebrow at her. She hummed a small acknowledgement, greedily pulling the blanket closer to her. She was definitely slower to wake up than Steven was (or maybe she was still in that groggy half-awake state; in Steven's experience, she could be like for almost the whole day if she was tired enough). After a perplexed pause, he continued. "What're you doing here?"

The question was enough to get Amethyst to sit back up, albeit just a little. She opened her eye a tad farther, looking around Steven's room again. It had seemed that _she_ didn't even know why she was in the room. At least, not off the top of her head. The Gem looked back at Steven, shrugging with a slow blink.

"Sleepin'."

Her answer did little to assuage Steven's confusion. He squinted at her, trying to sit up in a more dignified pose. With his head being the only thing above the bed's low threshold, he didn't think "dignified" was a look he could pull off that easily. Amethyst eventually understood enough of her answer to change it.

"Well, I was sleeping," she clarified through a lengthy yawn. With a minor shake, she tried stretching her neck in an effort to wake up a little more. "Now 'm talking."

The confusion on Steven's face maintained its position. He honestly had a hard time figuring out whether Amethyst was actively attempting to joke or not. Regardless, getting a clearer answer felt a bit important at the moment. Shaking his head, Steven waved a hand at his friend. "No," he tried to clear the confusion, "I mean, why're you in my bed?"

Now properly puzzled, Amethyst tilted her head, spilling some of her hair over her shoulder. She relaxed her grip on Steven's blanket, rubbing some lingering sleep from her eye. Removing her grip let the blanket fall enough away to reveal her sleepwear, that being a loose fitting shirt as opposed to her usual tank-top. An old band Steven didn't recognize was printed on the front.

"Oh, yeah," the violet Gem realized through another yawn. She looked around, glancing towards the night outside for a few moments. Piqued, Steven sat up a little straighter, wondering what his friend was pondering. She seemed hesitant to explain her situation, though that could've been the simple sluggishness the night induced. "Just got back from a mission. Real tired. Your bed was here, so..."

Amethyst shrugged again. Though her explanation was brief, Steven understood enough to connect the dots rather easily. While sleep wasn't essential to Gems, knowing Amethyst long enough let Steven understand she might as well have been human in that regard. She often noted it was one of the more agreeable ways to get one's energy back. Steven felt similar.

"Riiight..." Steven drew out in response, nodding. He paused for a few seconds, watching Amethyst half-consciously adjust her over-sized shirt only to have the neckline fall right back to her shoulder. It was a little strange that she'd use his bed the same night he had a nightmare concerning her, as neither occurrence happened all too often. Maybe her presence had something to do with his dream. Though he didn't want to come across as rude, another thought occurred to Steven. "Don't you have your own bed?"

The rest of the sleep was rubbed free from Amethyst's eye, but the remaining exhaustion stayed on her whole person like a persistent stain. It'd turned Amethyst's placid expression into Steven's equivalent of an attentive one. "'Course," she admitted with a shrug, the Gem slowly leaning back into Steven's bed. "But... y'know, this one's closer. 'N comfier. Figured you wouldn't mind."

Steven looked at her for a moment. She waved a hand in the air as though that would explain better. "I mean, figured you wouldn't notice."

For a while, Steven kept quiet, not asking anything else. He wasn't sure what his expression said to Amethyst, the boy contemplating Amethyst's reasoning. Rather than relax back into Steven's bed, Amethyst began looking around again, more nervous than before. Even more time was spent looking outside. She scratched the back of her head, sitting up a little straighter. With a sigh, she pulled the blanket from her body, beginning to move towards the edge of Steven's bed.

"Sorry," she muttered, sounding glum. "I made it weird. I'll get out of your hair."

"No," Steven stopped her, placing a hand on hers. He tried to ignore the small urgency in his voice, hoping Amethyst didn't notice as much. It was more out of trying to be polite than being panicked. Shaking his head, he gave his friend a reassuring grin. "It's okay. I don't mind.

Feeling her hand tense up for a second, Steven relaxed his grasp a little. Amethyst blinked, halted either by Steven's words or his contact. It could've been both for all he knew. She looked at the latter in silence, atypically quiet. Steven pursed his lips in minor confusion. Then, the usual smirk returned to Amethyst's features, accompanied by a pleasant chuckle.

"So you're sayin'," she began, still quieter than usual, "you don't mind me sleeping in your bed."

Steven nodded confirmation, glad that her minor doubts were eliminated so quickly. As though to solidify his answer, he stood up from the ground he shot himself to, giving his words more validity as he moved back into his bed. The action persuaded Amethyst to return to her previous position, and she inched herself back beside the window with a continuous smirk. She even lifted the blanket for Steven to take as she moved. He gladly took it. Just as he settled his head back into his pillow, Amethyst continued.

"And you're sleeping here too, huh?" she stated, as though she approved of his choice. Confused, both by Amethyst's affirmation and her tone, Steven rose an eyebrow, hesitantly pulling the blanket up further towards him. He half expected her to go right back to snoozing the moment he gave her his confirmation. Still, Steven was content enough to shush most of his suspicions. Those were common enough in Amethyst's presence, but at the end of the day, she was just looking for a place to nap, which he thought was respectable enough.

"Yeah?" he answered her question vaguely, ignoring any lingering doubts that she was planning something. Amethyst nodded like he had, relaxing back into the bed. Her smirk had fully returned to her features, which didn't do much to make her appear all that innocent. Her next statement was given in almost _too_ normal of a tone.

"So you don't mind me sleepin' with you, then?"

Immediately, Steven's eyes broadened, shooting open in tandem with how his body shot back up to a sitting position. "Amethyst!" he exclaimed, probably waking up most of Beach City in the process. A potent warmth was felt on his cheeks, matching the accusatory tone he instinctively awarded his voice. Not too out of the ordinary when addressing Amethyst, though the embarrassment was a rarer occurrence (then again, not as much as most would think).

As expected, Amethyst chuckled to herself, her trademark scratchy laughter being rather easy to detect even if Steven was staring at the ceiling in exasperation. Her laughter had almost drowned out the fact that her own face appeared a darker shade of violet. She rose a hand in defense, though still didn't say anything for some time. Steven used the time to shake his head, trying to take Amethyst's joke in stride. Something about her loose attire didn't really help, though he couldn't tell why immediately. He wasn't sure he wanted to know why, really.

"Chill," she tried easing Steven with a roll of her eyes. He still frowned at her, not wanting to give her more mature "play on words" (if one could even call it that) much thought. "It's just a joke. Don't mean nothin'."

Groaning, Steven flopped back onto his bed, not gracing Amethyst with a response. The persistent heat on his face made him hesitant to speak. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Amethyst raise a hand to feel her cheek before appearing a little surprised. Shrugging, she relaxed into the bed, taking some of the blanket for herself. Steven still had a surprisingly sufficient amount himself.

"...maybe it was in bad taste," she admitted through a yawn. Glancing at her, Steven saw a more neutral expression on her features, though she still had traces of a blush. "I dunno. Whatever. I'm tired, I have an excuse."

Admittedly, Steven had to feel a few instinctive chuckles escape his lips at Amethyst's comically pouting tone, forcing his frown apart. He couldn't have imagined that she had implied anything genuinely serious, so he forced himself to forget about her implications for the sake of getting back to sleep. That, and remarks such as that one were to be expected if Amethyst was involved. Despite his efforts, however, Steven felt his eyes drawn back to Amethyst, who had taken to a rather ungraceful pose of lying on her arm while still facing him. Some of her unkempt bangs spilled over both her eyes as opposed to only one, making her look almost younger. The loose shirt on her shoulders only added to the effect.

Steven looked back up at the rafters above his bed, hesitant to shut his eyes. Part of that was wondering why Amethyst's statement had elicited more quiet than disapproval from himself, though it wasn't important (or serious) enough to keep him awake on its own. Something else kept him from trying to sleep just a little longer. He moved his gaze to Amethyst once more, forgetting about the implied awkwardness already.

"Hey, Amethyst?" he uncertainly began, feeling too awake to go back to sleep any time soon. It'd be best to talk to her before she got too comfortable in her sleep, anyways. The Gem opened one eye to look at Steven, not making any move to shift her position. She hummed acknowledgement, piqued.

"How come you're not sleeping on the couch?"

Steven could see Amethyst blink again under her messy hair. She sat up a little, apparently pondering Steven's question more seriously than usual. He reasoned that, given her readiness for a nap, Amethyst usually wasn't that picky when it came to where she slept. The most of a requirement she had was whether or not the bed was a rock; anything remotely soft tended to suffice for her, and that was when she _wasn't_ desperate for a nap. Amethyst sat up further, now a lot more attentive than before.

"I can still leave if you want," she stated casually. Still, with how she looked to the side, Steven wasn't entirely convinced. The action was... disheartening, in a way. Her youthful appearance didn't help, either. "I know, I probably should'a given you a heads up or something, but-"

"I don't want you to leave, Amethyst," Steven interrupted (hopefully in a polite tone). Like before, Steven could only guess at how polite he actually was, but still moved on, facing Amethyst directly. She seemed a little surprised at his initiative, taking in how much he wanted to clarify he was okay with her sleeping where she wanted to. If he was as preoccupied with just that, he might've wondered about it too. "But the couch is closest, not my bed."

Confused (most likely at Steven's odd interest), Amethyst frowned at him, sitting back up completely. She didn't bother much with the blanket, which Steven could read as her equivalent of wariness. She thought again before answering, as though she had to remember the reason why she didn't simply crash on the couch below Steven's room.

"Yeah, but this is a bed," she cautiously stated, motioning towards the bed in question. Steven still kept his eyes on Amethyst, which she didn't seem to appreciate too much. He didn't intend to be nosy, but he was genuinely curious about Amethyst's exact reasoning. Hearing it felt important, somehow; as if it'd shed more light on what brought Steven awake in the first place. Just as he opened his mouth for another inquiry, Amethyst continued. "Besides, the couch doesn't have a blanket or anything. Just some cushions."

Steven drew out a lengthy hum, still a little dubious. Of course he believed Amethyst, but he didn't feel like he was getting the whole picture. "That hasn't mattered before," he reasoned, tilting his head. Amethyst's unconventional snoozing spots were more bare than covered, in his experiences. The Gem certainly had to know that. Evidently, she did, recoiling ever so slightly like she had contradicted herself.

"Maybe it did this time," she defensively answered back. Her arms crossed after a brief moment of quiet, adding to her tone. Hopefully she hadn't gotten the idea that Steven was accusing her of anything. The odd look on her features left him unsure. "What's it matter?"

Steven didn't answer right away, pursing his lips with a thoughtful hum. A faint blush returned to Amethyst's cheeks, punctuated by the sliver of tension seen in her hands. Despite her earlier casualness, she appeared almost nervous in the span of seconds. Out of politeness, Steven didn't mention it, pushing his curiosity further.

"Did you want to sleep with me?" he asked as a genuine question, turning towards Amethyst. In response, she about mimicked Steven's reaction when _she_ first spoke so directly, her eyes widening with an appalled gape.

"Steven!" she exclaimed, placing a dramatic hand over her Gem. According to her startled expression, she hadn't expected someone like Steven to speak like that. He witnessed a few stuttering starts before Amethyst could express her surprise clearly. "What the heck? I- did I... what?"

Speaking honestly, Steven somewhat expected her reaction, raising a hand in defense. Still, with her eagerness to joke about the topic, it wasn't entirely the kind of surprise he anticipated. Plus, he assumed that she knew him well enough to take his words at face value. Joking about that was more her forte than his. "Just curious," he said simply, hoping that there wasn't too much of a situation to diffuse. "I don't mean anything bad."

The young Gem's efforts to ease his friend were slow to have an effect, as Amethyst still stared at him for a bit longer than usual. Now she seemed _completely_ awake. Were it not for her bedraggled hair and matching casual clothes, she could've been on a mission to storm Homeworld for all her expression said. Eventually, she groaned, looking away from Steven almost forcefully. Her dark violet cheeks were only made more prominent in the direct moonlight.

"Don't... word it like that," she muttered, quiet. A sudden regret could be heard in her voice, which didn't seem to make much sense. "That sounds too weird."

Steven tilted his head, perplexed at the odd seriousness Amethyst was now giving his terminology. "You worded it like that," he reminded her with a raised eyebrow.

"As a joke!" Amethyst exclaimed back, likely waking up the portion of Beach City Steven hadn't quite reached. Her outburst hung in the air for a bit, Steven not quite meeting it. That didn't seem like the best idea, anyways. Amethyst placed an exasperated hand on her face, nearly spitting out a question. "What d'you care?"

"Curious," Steven repeated with a shrug. While that was true, he didn't think to mention his prior nightmare just yet. Amethyst leered at him a little longer, then relaxed back into the bed hesitantly. She was silent, evidently thinking on her answer. Steven was patient. With a sigh, Amethyst rolled away from him to face the window of his room.

"...maybe I did," she whispered more to herself than to Steven. Considering Steven didn't even know that Amethyst could whisper outside of an esoteric prank, he leaned in a bit closer, concerned. The rare honesty in her voice would've been more appreciated if it hadn't been paired with an even rarer quiet. She didn't seem to feel Steven move closer, continually facing away from him. "Why? That a bad thing?"

Startled again, Steven inched closer still, going so far as to place a hand on Amethyst's shoulder. "No, not at all," he assured her with an unnecessary shake of his head. Hearing Amethyst speak so openly about what he thought was a trivial enough matter didn't entirely satisfy him. Suffice to say, he had hoped for a less dejected tone. Steven was quiet for a few moments, trying to find his words. "I... don't really get why, is all."

The prompt went unheeded for a good while. Amethyst hadn't moved to shrug off his minor contact, so Steven kept his hand where it was, thinking it comforted her in some regard. Whether or not it helped, Amethyst eventually spoke up in that rare whisper of hers.

"You'll laugh," she told him flatly, hesitant to give an explanation. Frowning, Steven hummed dismissal. He thought Amethyst knew him better than that. On instinct, he rubbed his hand on her shoulder, somehow feeling like it was more reassuring than anything else. She still didn't remove his hand.

"No, I won't," Steven assured his friend, subconsciously noting the tension in her arm leaving. The main reason he wanted to understand Amethyst's logic was to figure out more of his earlier nightmare. He definitely didn't have any intention of bringing up a supposedly sensitive topic. However, being alone in each other's presence didn't leave a whole lot of things that couldn't be discussed. Having fused before does something along those lines. "You know I won't."

Amethyst sighed again, turning slightly to glance at Steven out of the corner of her eye. Another evident blush could clearly be seen on her features. Still, she looked more apprehensive than defensive, which Steven counted as a good thing. The Gem seemed to go over her thoughts for a bit, then completed her turn back towards Steven. He returned his arm to his side in the process.

"I mean, it doesn't really mean anything," she hesitantly prefaced, glancing at the boy for only a moment. Steven returned her cautious look with a patient one. An odd expression fell on her features; not quite embarrassed, but still apprehensive about something. In Steven's experience, the only thing she tended to be apprehensive about was candor regarding herself. He paid close attention to her words. "But... I kinda, y'know, _like_ being close to ya. It's..."

Amethyst took a shaky breath before continuing, avoiding Steven's eyes. He didn't move to say anything just yet, letting her talk. "To be honest, you kinda make me feel... I dunno, _secure._ Confident, even."

Steven felt an inexplicable grin pull the edges of his mouth upwards. Oddly enough, he found his worrisome nightmare regarding Amethyst irrelevant at the moment, as though her words devalued his doubts about it. A warm touch fell on Steven's hand. He didn't have to look down to see Amethyst move her fingers over his, though did so anyways out of instinct. Like before, his contact seemed to comfort Amethyst enough for her to explain further.

"I know, I know, I still feel like that on my own," the Gem waved away cautiously. Steven nodded in response, an agreeable warmth finding itself in his chest. Her small smile was genuine enough for him to reciprocate it. "But... still, that's _'cause_ of you."

A light warmth was felt on Steven's face in response to the Gem's words, the heat being a similar caliber to the one in his chest. It was difficult to tell if his blush was also similar to Amethyst's, but the deeper violet of her cheeks seemed more sheepish than flattered. Amethyst twirled a lock of her hair with her free hand on some nervous instinct, inciting Steven to speak sooner than his brain typically would've liked.

"I understand, Amethyst," he returned the Gem's minor confession, only noticing the quietness of his voice moments after speaking. Even if he spoke without much thought, Steven _wasn't_ lying to Amethyst in any regard. For the most part, he'd be able to attribute that to his affinity for emotional candor, but this time around, it was more due to his own experiences with what Amethyst was discussing. There was some degree of pride to be found in what Amethyst said, though that was out-shined by the authenticity of her words alone. He could've recognized her honest tone even if they hadn't shared a mind at one point.

Some unknown feeling persuaded him to relay a similar thought.

"I kind of like being around you, too," he almost blurted out. Similar to his previous affirmation, Steven spoke more on instinct than anything else. As a result, nothing immediately came to mind on what to say next. Amethyst looked at him a lot more intently, as though he stated some grand secret rather than a minor fact that was left unspoken. The gaze didn't bother Steven enough to cut his own confession short, so he attempted to explain as best as he could. "Like, around you, I don't feel... like a Gem."

There was more to his explanation than that, but that was about all he could come up with in the span of seconds. The uncertain pause following Steven's words allowed him to see a worried expression grow across Amethyst's face, and he quickly tried to dismiss it by gently grasping her hand. He didn't feel much resistance. Trying to keep the moment going, he continued. "I mean that in a good way. It's like I'm not... pressured, at all."

A curious look prompted him to explain a bit further, though there was a certain amount of understanding on Amethyst's face that allowed Steven to be more concise with his words. Ironically, he thought that helped explain better. "I don't have to be a super special human-Gem son of Rose Quartz, I mean. You're so relaxed all the time, it makes me feel relaxed too. I never have to worry about what I need to do or say or... be."

Some quiet seconds passed. Instead of the attentive look Amethyst had before, a surprised expression adorned her features. She didn't return Steven's word right then, and Steven didn't feel the need to continue. Not much else was said after his statement, both Gems resigning to the following quiet. Steven half-consciously rubbed his thumb over Amethyst's, feeling the continuous warmth of her skin. Her grasp seemed to tighten a fraction as a result.

"You still worry about that?" she eventually offered, giving her friend a smirk. "You're gonna worry your darn head off at this point, man."

Thankfully, Steven could easily appreciate her casual approach, now more than ever. He nodded sheepishly, shrugging a little. Trying to learn more about Amethyst turned into the opposite, weirdly enough.

"But that's the thing," he explained further. His tone was somewhat quieter than intended, nearly becoming a whisper, but it was earnest enough that he didn't mind. "I _don't_ worry about that stuff around you. You make me feel... comfortable."

The touched expression spreading across Amethyst's features told Steven that he had said all he needed to. Rather than being hesitant about her confidence around Steven, Amethyst appeared content. Happy, even. It was a pleasant reaction. For a brief moment, Amethyst gave the boy a sincere smile (which he gladly reciprocated). Within the same second, she pulled him into a snug embrace. With the hug coming from Amethyst first instead of himself, Steven was a little surprised.

"Thanks, Steven," she said in a hushed voice. Her tone was surprisingly similar to his earnest one, too. "Glad I can do that for you."

On instinct, Steven hummed acknowledgement, leaning a little into Amethyst after a few seconds. The current position made it a little difficult to tell, but he thought that Amethyst had done likewise. On instinct, he slowly followed after Amethyst, placing his arms around her gently. It was definitely one of their more intimate hugs. A few seconds passed, and Amethyst breathed out, relaxing her arms while still leaving them around Steven. He followed suit, resulting in an almost lethargic embrace that either one of them would be more than comfortable in. Steven couldn't be certain how much time they spent in a simplistic embrace, enjoying each other's presence.

Somehow, stating the reasoning for why their shared presence was so agreeable had amplified that feeling, so Steven assumed that there wasn't too much to think about beyond simply being around Amethyst. Ironically, in the next moment, a drastic thought occurred to him.

Amethyst seemed to have a similar thought, as she appeared almost eager to be pulled so suddenly forward. The motion only took place over the course of a half of a second. Steven stared at Amethyst, eyes just as wide as her's. Now the silence seemed more due to being at a loss rather than an understanding. This was evidenced fairly well by the heat on each of their faces. The silence continued for a considerable length of time, neither Gem brave enough to break it. Not a whole lot that came to mind was ideal for conversation.

For better or for worse, Amethyst's casual nature eventually forced a noise out of her. She uncertainly snorted, like she hadn't meant to say a vulgar joke as loud as she did. Her eyes suddenly dashed away from Steven's in an oddly panicked manner as she snapped her head to the side. He blinked in response, briefly shaking his head to clear his thoughts without being all that successful. Being alone with Amethyst no longer helped clear his mind, he noted; the effect was about the opposite in a matter of seconds. The nervous laughter from Amethyst did incite him to follow, though. It was one of the only things he found safe to focus on right now. It was difficult for Steven to remove his grasp from hers in the process of chuckling.

"Whoops," Amethyst eventually breathed out, shaking her head. Outwardly, she didn't seem too perturbed by the removal of Steven's contact, but the subtle shake in her voice was impossible to ignore. The Gem rubbed her exposed eye, the night's late hour suddenly resuming its relevance. That was another safe thing to focus on, Steven noted. "Got a little weird there. My bad."

Steven didn't intend to hesitate, but then again, no one ever does. " _My_ bad," he assured her with another dismissive wave. Amethyst rolled her eyes, quickly grabbing the blanket they'd ignored and pulling it back up over her. The action seemed a little too fast, though Steven didn't trust his own mind enough to gauge time accurately.

" _Our_ bad," she stated matter-of-factly, more comfortably settling under the bed's covers. Shrugging, Steven followed her example, moving to more comfortably lie in his bed. That also seemed to take longer than it should've, weirdly enough. With a yawn, Amethyst gave a standard "Goodnight," now in the original position she was first found in. Steven looked at her for just a few more seconds before telling her the same, trying to settle a little more. Despite achieving the most comfort he could possibly attain, though, he remained awake for some time, staring at the roof of his room. Anywhere from one to a dozen minutes passed; he honestly couldn't tell how much time he spent in silence, afraid of the thought that came to mind. More than new, it was...

"...hey, Amethyst?" Steven tried quietly. _He_ practically couldn't hear himself. Amethyst didn't say anything in response, just lying silently beside Steven. He remembered that description as close to the definition of "sleeping" when a light snore fell out of her mouth, the long bangs in front of her mouth gently swaying with her breath. Unsure, Steven looked at the Gem a little longer. That was oddly quick; then again, he couldn't tell how long he spent mulling over his thoughts. The clock beside him read 12:37, providing another reason Amethyst was able to get to sleep so quickly, and yet Steven didn't feel like she could've. That was, if she'd noticed the same thing he had.

With a slight hum, Steven decided against talking further. Both of them could use the sleep, anyways. There wasn't a whole lot that needed immediate discussion. He could talk about his nightmare in the morning. Still, since Amethyst was _already_ asleep, Steven wasn't that hesitant to inch a little closer to her. After a brief pause, he moved his lips to her cheek, giving her a small kiss. Whatever discomfort he previously felt dissipated, probably as an odd coincidence. As a result, Steven reduced the distance between his friend and himself to a few inches. He pulled up the blanket a little closer to him, making sure Amethyst was still comfortably covered, and shut his eyes contently.

Of course, if he had kept them open for just a few seconds longer, he might've seen Amethyst's sleepy smile grow.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yeah, this one was a little directionless. I probably had an idea in mind, but I feel like it got kind of muddled. Maybe I'm just being hypercritical of myself. I hope you liked this one somehow!


	6. Candied

**A/N:** Back to my roots! More or less. I don't know, after watching "What's your Problem?" I felt obligated to write a bit more fluff. The current fic I'm working on, _The Human Condition_ , isn't really at a point for fluff quite yet. But _oh man,_ when it gets there...

This drabble is kind of similar to the first one, which hopefully counts as a good thing? I purposefully made them both simple, because sometimes you just need a little fluff instead of some grand plot or confession. Hope you like! :D

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Candied_

 _A little food goes a long way in cheering someone up._

It wasn't every day he found Amethyst with a frown. More often than not, the Gem wore either an amused smirk or casual grin for the majority of the day. Her simper tended to _widen_ after some prank or aimless shenanigan that always got a reaction out of Pearl, but it was still there beforehand. Today, she didn't have a hint of a smile on her features.

The loss of her grin was something Steven found troubling. Sure, she could be upset or stressed at times; everyone could. But for her to have such a consistent grimace didn't sit well with Steven. He'd hoped that whatever mood she'd been in would clear naturally throughout the day, and promptly gave her time to forget about whatever troubled her.

That had been about three hours ago, judging by how many pages of his book he'd read since he left Amethyst to herself. She still sat on the couch, not moving a muscle. Her eyebrows could've been permanently frozen into their upset "v" for all Steven knew.

So, being the good friend that he was to Amethyst, he moved to remedy the matter. The young Gem put down his book, getting up from the corner of his room that he sat on. Jumping down and disturbing Amethyst's immobile pose probably wouldn't be the best thing to open up with. Instead, he strode carefully down the stairs, watching Amethyst the entire way. It was difficult to tell if she'd noticed. After a few more careful steps, he reached the corner of the couch, and promptly sat next to her. She still didn't make a response. Steven gave her a few more seconds, waiting for her to break the silence. Unfortunately, the task was up to him.

"Is something bothering you?" he tried carefully, hoping to reach the root of whatever plastered such an expressively agitated expression on his friend's features. All Amethyst gave in response was an unhelpful grunt, the Gem crossing her arms. The action was comparable to that of a child's, really (not that Steven had made the connection out of any mean-spirit). Worried himself, he moved himself a tad closer, raising an eyebrow at his companion.

"Anything you want to talk about?" he tried again. For better or for worse, he found himself persistent when it came to comforting or reassuring Amethyst. A fact that he took as much pride in as Amethyst took regretful irritation in. "Any big Gem problem? Some family drama, or a huge emotional talk you want to get off your chest?"

Steven's list was mainly out of the history he'd shared with Amethyst. Every time there was something bothering her, the solution tended to be some grand catharsis denoting a great deal of comforting and/or crying. By now, Steven didn't really mind, being used to the emotional rollercoaster that came with being the Gem-human hybrid of Rose-, er… his mother. Amethyst shook her head plainly, blowing a few strands of hair out of her face. She still seemed upset.

Under normal circumstances, Steven would've had to assume that Amethyst wasn't entirely being honest or that she wanted to dance around one of the problems he'd listed earlier. Now, though, she seemed entirely honest (which was saying something in her case). Steven's look lingered on her for a short while before she finally spoke up.

"Just a bad mood," she said, almost like a warning. The Gem shifted a little on the couch, kicking her legs onto the coffee table with two unnecessarily harsh _*thuds*_ , but otherwise remained in place. Steven hummed. It wasn't like she couldn't just have an off day now and again; she was still a person. He could tell enough from her pose that she mainly just wanted to be left to brood, but he wasn't really comfortable leaving her in such a state. They were such close friends that she might as well have been linked to his own state of mind. As a result, Steven hummed, getting up from the couch. Amethyst wasn't too receptive, though she had rose an eyebrow at him.

"Okay," he told her, nodding. Not much else was said after the one word. Leaving her, Steven strode back towards the stairs to his room. Rather than return to the novel he was so engrossed in, however, he continued to the front door of the house. The young Gem put a hand on the doorknob, turning it slowly enough that Amethyst could take note of it. Then he left through the door frame, shutting it behind him. The last thing he could see was Amethyst sitting up ever so slightly, pretending to ignore Steven and stay in her thoughts.

Steven smiled somewhat, turning around towards town.

About ten minutes later, he returned to the house to find Amethyst exactly as she was left. Still leaning into the couch lazily, still crossing her arms, still frowning in a directionless form of irritation. Opening the door only elevated her head somewhat, and upon recognizing the noise, she plopped her head back onto the couch cushion. Steven was careful closing the door, one of his hands currently occupied. Honestly, he was surprised she made no note of the logo printed on the bag he held.

Now a bit more confident, Steven moved to the couch's side again, placing the paper bag onto the coffee table in front of them. He opened the container purposefully, a wave of sugar and sweetness hitting his nose like a confectionary brick. As expected, Amethyst could smell the treats inside as well as he had, judging by how abruptly she jerked her head upwards. She was practically a lonely dog realizing their owner had returned.

Without saying a word, Steven reached into the bag, pulling out a bundle of provided napkins and placing them on the table. One of them was laid out a little to his left, closer to where Amethyst was sitting. She noticed that as much as she saw the bag in the first place. Now moving slower, Steven reached into the bag again, being careful to not disturb the avalanche of sugars that encompassed the treat's surface. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Amethyst watch each of his movements. That made him all the more confident that she'd see what he'd returned with.

"Dewey accidentally made too many doughnuts," he said absentmindedly, faking a woeful tone. Not that it was that important if Amethyst believed him or not. "I didn't want them to go to waste, so I took a few off his hands. I was hoping _Garnet_ might be able to help me take care of these, but…"

Methodically, he raised the sweet from the bag's threshold, revealing inch after inch of the various forms of sugar that human physiology allowed to be consumed. Sprinkles, caramel, chocolate glazing, _normal_ glazing, sugar-cubes, another layer of caramel, chocolate syrup, chunks of ice-cream, and even a few packages of caffeinated coffee all on top of a jelly-filled sugar-powdered doughnut. Steven didn't think he could be more obvious in whom the treat was for; he reasoned that there was a ninety-percent chance he'd poof the moment he tasted the combination of sweets.

He put the treat on top of the napkin closer to Amethyst, somewhat struggling to balance the colossal mound. The Gem watched it every step of the way, her eyes shining in awe. Then, she seemed to remember that she was supposed to be upset, and rolled her eyes. Her conviction couldn't really stabilize, though. What brooding nature she had was obliterated when Steven pulled out the _second_ heart-stopping treat. Instantly, the Gem rocketed upright, eyeing each of the delicacies. Her hair had whipped into the side of Steven's face, she'd moved so fast.

For a brief moment, she glanced at Steven, like she was asking for some kind of permission. The grip of her fingers on the couch cushions told him waiting was harder than she wanted to admit to. Still, Steven feigned a forlorn sigh, shaking his head.

"I guess if _Garnet's_ not here," he spoke slowly, shrugging. "I still need _someone_ to help me with these…"

Finally, Amethyst's hand unlatched from the couch and grabbed the food in about the same second. Steven couldn't even recognize the motion enough to see the treat leave the table. One moment the mound of sugar was threatening to topple over, and the next, only a few sprinkles were left behind on the napkin. He wasn't exactly sure how Amethyst could swallow such an overload of sugar in one bite, but she did. Her comically bulging out cheeks confirmed as much.

Steven stared at her for a few moments, the Gem staring back. She hesitated for a few moments before chewing, then let out a satisfied groan through the food in her mouth. Now a pleased grin brought the corners of her lips upwards (and promptly spilled some sugary crumbs outwards). The sight was so much more pleasing than her frown from earlier that Steven had to laugh. He was glad he knew Amethyst well enough to understand what effect food had on her.

"Gee," he said, still keeping up with the narrative he'd given himself. Amethyst savored the treat, surprisingly emotional about its taste. "I sure am glad that you're here to help me with these, Amethyst."

The Gem chuckled a little, not a single semblance of her earlier irritation on her features. After a few more chews that seemed more forced than instinctive, she gulped down the week's worth of calories. "Enough with the patronizing, Universe," she told him with a grin, giving him a good-natured push. After a few more laughs, she eyed the second "doughnut" (it was more of a vehicle for everything else rather than a treat on its own) Steven had put on the table. He gave her a thumbs up, mentioning that, "I'm pretty sure this counts as an actual weapon to most people."

Amethyst, thankfully, wasn't most people. Far from it, if Steven was honest. She nodded gratefully, now taking more time than before to appreciate the treat. All of about three seconds passed when she snatched it from the table with the same identically hard to follow speed. In hindsight, Steven had to hope that Dewey _did_ make too many doughnuts at the start of the day,

because there was a good chance Steven had ended up taking most of the confectionary's reserves. It was what Amethyst needed, so that provided enough justification to prevent Steven from feeling _too_ bad.

"Mm," Amethyst drew out again, appearing more than grateful for the treat. She refused to wait and swallow it before speaking, meaning another flood of crumbs and sugary-bits fell from her mouth _as_ she spoke. As she _attempted_ to speak, at least. "Phnks, mphevn."

Smiling, Steven reached into the bag to get out his own luxury, that being a pink-striped jelly doughnut of his own. Compared to what he'd gotten Amethyst, he might as well have bought a plain bagel.

"Don't mention it," he granted back, taking a bite as he leaned more comfortably into the couch cushion. Thankfully, the treat was still tasty regardless of its relative inability to stop his heart. Steven matched Amethyst's manners (or rather, her lack thereof) and spoke freely. He did have more success than her, though. "Nothing a little sugar can't solve."

Amethyst grinned, nodding agreement. "More like a _lot_ of sugar," she clarified. She sighed, much more content than before. It didn't seem to be just because of the doughnut itself; Steven wasn't sure how, but the look on her face made it seem like he'd improved her mood directly, too. Maybe he was just proud of getting her to smile at all.

As if thinking of something along those lines, Amethyst laughed again, sitting up a little. Steven moved to question if he should've gotten a third artery-clogging delicacy before feeling a light peck of the lips on his cheek. It wasn't enough to get him to stop chewing, but _did_ warm his face a little. Now satisfied, Amethyst placed her hands behind her head, sitting back into the couch.

"There," she said simply. Her tone sounded smug, like she had somehow one-upped Steven. He didn't mind, really. He chuckled a little, reaching for a napkin as Amethyst continued. "Just for bein' so…"

Abruptly, Amethyst paused, causing Steven to turn towards her again. He gave her a warning expression, shaking his head. The persistence of his blush likely didn't give him the seriousness he attempted to feign. He spoke one word, all too aware of how preemptively proud Amethyst seemed to be of herself; "Don't."

Amethyst said one word back, still grinning. " _Sweet._ "

* * *

 **A/N:** PUNS, MOTHERTRUCKER. Yeah, short and sweet (lol). Simple, but I think that's a good thing. Hope you enjoyed this! Feel free for feedback, but it ain't like I can force you. Have a good day! :D


	7. Duet

**A/N:** And with this is the official " _The Human Condition_ is a dead fic" statement. Nah, I'm kidding. Just that I'm officially doing college things now, and I'm probably going to have too much on my plate to draw or write SU fluff all that often. Apologies. That being said, I hope you like this one, as its basically the official "send-off" gift. The majority was first drafted at like 3 AM, but if you know me, that tends to be a good thing. Have a good day!

 ***Obligatory reminder to shoot suggestions or some-such my way!**

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Duet_

 _A dance between Gems does more than comfort Steven._

"Thought I'd find you here."

The voice reached Steven just seconds after he heard his companion round the stone. Only the lapping of the waves on the shoreline contested her words, almost as quiet. Briefly, Steven looked up from his sitting position to see Amethyst stepping carefully between the rocks, placing her boots in almost the exact same positions he'd used to reach where he was on the sand. She didn't say anything else right away, nor did Steven. All he offered was a surprised stare as Amethyst reached his side over the next couple of seconds.

Her eyebrows lowered in a concerned grimace, but she remained silent, taking a slower approach to sitting next to Steven. He didn't get the idea she was in any sort of rush. After a brief pause, she reached towards her boots, sliding them off and tossing them a short distance to the side. Steven felt himself naturally relax, and turned back towards the ocean he had been looking out at for the past half-hour or so. A dark midnight blue covered the atmosphere, only impeded by the occasional star or cloud that rested solemnly in the sky. No boats or pollution dotted the surface of the water. Fittingly, this side of Beach City had a beautiful view of the open sea. Seemingly sensing that much, Amethyst leaned a little towards Steven.

"Real pretty view," she breathed out. If she was going to urge Steven to come back to the others or tell them where he was, she didn't act all that quickly. According to her tone, though, she didn't seem as concerned with that matter at the moment. Steven loosened the grip on his knees, feeling his eyes move away from Amethyst more than actively doing so.

Another couple of seconds passed. Then Amethyst moved just a hair closer to Steven, making a deeper impression in the sand underneath. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her raise a hesitant hand behind him. The hand stayed halted in the air for a moment before gently coming into contact with his shoulder. Her fingers grasped around him, either tentative or purposeful. Steven felt himself lean into her touch after another pause.

"I don't want to go back," he said, each word falling out of his mouth like a brick. Amethyst turned towards him, tilting her head in curiosity as he spoke. "Just— not right now, I mean. I can't… do that."

Not much else was said. The waves of the sea filled in the following quiet, warm water washing over both of the Gems' exposed toes. Amethyst rubbed his shoulder softly, her expression graduating from concerned to understanding in a matter of seconds.

"I know," she let out, almost whispering. Her knee moved outwards a little towards his, bumping it like she gave him a pat on his back. "It's okay. I'm not going to force you."

That was a relief. Abruptly, Amethyst sighed, causing Steven to glance towards her for a moment. He rose an eyebrow at her troubled grimace.

"I'm not going to let you sulk alone, though," she affirmed. Steven hummed, though he could understand what Amethyst was saying. This was _Amethyst,_ after all. "We stick together. Always. Even if that means sulking like angsty teenagers together."

There was something enjoyable about that statement. So much so that Steven could feel his lips bend upwards in a smile despite his attempts to brood. Of course, Amethyst detected as much, grinning a little herself. The hand on Steven's shoulder moved around him, holding the boy close as she let out a satisfied hum. They shared a loose embrace, Amethyst moving her other arm across his front, Steven resting more of his weight on hers.

"I didn't mean to sulk," Steven admitted, still in his companion's grasp. His tone lost a little of its atypically moody nature, to which Amethyst smiled a little more. She blew a few loose strands of white hair from her eyes as she listened. "I just… needed to think. And I didn't want to bother you guys with what I was thinking about."

Amethyst shook her head for a moment before placing it on Steven's shoulder, looking out at the same sea he gazed upon. The Gem's contact was much softer than Steven would've anticipated. Not to say that was necessarily a bad thing. This lesser-seen side of her was nice. Like her touch, Amethyst's voice emanated a comforting sense of gentleness.

"Ah, Steven," she said, chuckling lightly, "when're you gonna learn you _can't_ bother us?" Amethyst shifted a little, still keeping the one arm around Steven's shoulders while lowering the other. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, her hand hovering over her knee. Then, after a brief clench of a fist, the violet of her hand fell over Steven's loose fingers. He looked towards the warmth her contact offered. More of his paranoia fell away as an effect.

"I dunno," he responded after a delay. A small grin found itself on his lips. "I think I can bother Pearl multiple times a day. Sometimes even on purpose."

Some genuine laughs from Amethyst broadened his smile. The noise was about as nice as her softness, if not more so.

"Yeah," she agreed, a few mirthful chuckles lingering through her voice. "You and me both, buddy. Always was proud of that."

As if to mirror her, Steven laughed a little himself. He stretched his legs out a bit more comfortably, resting one against Amethyst's. Other than a brief look, she didn't make much of a note of the contact. It was pleasant enough for Steven to know he didn't have to explain himself. Still, Amethyst cleared her throat, and even though she still held that charismatic grin on her features, she seemed determined to avoid completely falling into her usual sarcasm.

"I mean it, though," she reiterated, resuming the softer tone she'd used earlier. "I'm not gonna be bothered if you need to talk about something."

Abruptly, Amethyst clenched her fingers around Steven's a little tighter, though not to the point of discomfort. Looking towards her features allowed Steven to see the determined conviction she so suddenly held in her voice.

"You've listened to me enough," she said, "I think listening to you is the least I can do."

All Steven could give in response, he found, was a surprised stare. It wasn't every day Amethyst was so open in her care. The boy looked at his friend for a couple of moments, only able to utter her name after another few seconds of incredulity. Amethyst's determination didn't waver. She moved her gaze to the tides in front of them before nodding to herself, like she answered one of her own questions.

"Or," she began, a sliver of her usual tone working its way back into her voice, "if you don't wanna talk about it right now, that's fine. But I _am_ going to make you feel better."

There was the usual caliber of stubbornness Steven grew to love about her. Now smiling himself, Steven watched Amethyst lean forwards a little before placing her hand to her side. Unfortunately, that was the same hand previously gripping Steven's, but he tried not to let his disappointment show too openly. Amethyst placed her other hand in the sand to lift herself up to a standing position, promptly dusting her palms off after another shake of her head. Steven continued watching her in silence. Even from his grounded position, he could see a slew of stars reflecting off the blue of her eyes. The violet Gem bowed a little, reaching a hand towards him and moving her other arm behind her back.

"Care to dance?" Amethyst offered plainly. Her palm was turned upwards invitingly, just a few inches from Steven's face. An indescribable awe prevented Steven from moving too quickly. Somehow, her proposal seemed to be exactly what he needed at the moment. Not some grand catharsis over the course of a half-hour, but rather something simple they could both enjoy in lieu of the usual drama of being Steven Universe. For all accounts and purposes, he _wanted_ to agree to Amethyst's offer. An encouraging nod from Amethyst reanimated his body.

"I might not be the best dance partner right now," he heard himself say. Still, he stood up carefully, taking Amethyst's secure grip with his tentative own. She didn't seem all that off-put at his hesitation. It was more of a preemptive apology than an excuse to deny Amethyst. "And, y'know, without music…"

As was honestly a little expected, Amethyst blew a minor raspberry at the caveat. She wasted no time in hoisting Steven to his feat, taking a little extra care in keeping his balance on the sand. He stood carefully, his other hand finding it around Amethyst's open palm in a matter of moments. Was her skin always so comfortably soft?

"We don't need music," she clarified, eyeing Steven straight-on. Being at the same height helped. Now holding both of his hands, she guided him just an inch or two closer to her, her expression still visibly confident under the silver of her hair. "Besides, I'm not asking for a three-hour ballet recital. Focus on my hands if you have to."

That couldn't be too hard of a task. Still, as glad as Steven was for Amethyst's mere presence, he wasn't entirely sure he could trivialize his paranoia as easy as his companion could. Music _would_ help, too. Seeing the caution on his features, Amethyst tilted her head to the side.

"Do you trust me?" she asked, leaning a little towards Steven's face.

Though the question was abrupt, Steven felt himself nod on instinct alone. "Of course I do," he affirmed, matching Amethyst's own confidence. She seemed pleased by the answer.

"Probably a bad idea, but alright." She chuckled a little, as did Steven. After a brief hum to herself, she brought the both of their hands to their sides.

"Close your eyes," she told him.

Based on past experiences, closing his eyes around Amethyst was something Steven considered to be asking for trouble. But here, now, alone with her on this remote part of the beach, he thought that following her request wasn't explicitly going to end poorly. Her tone seemed more encouraging than commanding.

Steven closed his eyes, letting the rest of the world fall away. Focus on her hands, she'd said. He trusted her enough to do just that, and intertwined his fingers around hers. She moved just a tad closer to him as a result. The rest of her being came into view, though he still held his eyes closed. It was more like… he could _feel_ her. Not just where she was; he could feel more than seeing his friend's presence could ever convey.

Barely, she moved her arm up and outwards, guiding him to move in the same way. Then she raised her other, bringing the former closer to their side in a cautious arc. Carefully, he could feel her risk a step backwards, and promptly lifted his foot in response. His leg moved to occupy the now empty spot on the ground, leaning forwards while she leaned backwards.

After a brief moment, he could feel Amethyst nod in some undefined approval. Steven's danced enough in the past to repeat any one of the movements involved from sheer muscle memory, probably in any one of the infinite genres dance could be composed of. This time, though, he found himself in a new kind of experience, by no small contribution from Amethyst. In all honesty, he wanted to see where it'd go.

Amethyst didn't break the silence he'd generated. Instead, she moved again, using her weight to lean back forwards and step back to where her foot previously rested. Steven sensed enough of her to make space on the floor, returning his own foot to its previous position. They outstretched their arms to the side again while bringing in their other hands next to them, rotating in the sand. Carefully, Amethyst bowed forward, leaning a little over Steven. The motion was subtle enough to keep Steven's eyes closed.

A faint tune reached Steven's head without passing through his ears. Some undefinable instruments reverberated from an even more undefinable location, though it wasn't explicitly off-putting. After standing back up to his full height, he risked another step to the side, being careful in his lead as he listened to the music. Amethyst followed after without much resistance. She took after his previous bow seemingly on instinct.

The simple pattern continued for a few moments. With every step and lean came a growing understanding of the rhythm Steven was listening to. He also came to understand Amethyst being able to hear the music herself. The sensation was strange, foreign even, but also… surprisingly soft. In a good way. The sand underfoot parted more quickly as the Gems' steps grew more confident, each trusting the other to fill in the next notes and movements. An instinctive smile brought up the corners of Steven's lips as he stepped around his partner.

Their dance was automatic, fluid and graceful, each moving with a purposeful precision normally unlike either Gem. After another brief lean into Steven, Amethyst momentarily broke away for a quick twirl in the sand. Nothing excessive or attention-grabbing. The gesture was more to go with the music they were adhering to, and Steven followed after wholeheartedly. Step, step, twirl; step, step, twirl. Their hands stayed locked together, only ever breaking contact to lock back together in the next moment. Neither knew the exact tune they moved to, the soft melody as indescript as it was enticing. Still Steven kept his eyes closed, feeling the weight and position of Amethyst with far more clarity than sight would have offered.

Pacing their steps, Amethyst's grasp continued alongside her movements. With every short break from Steven came a smaller and smaller gap between them when she stepped back to him. Her warmth grew closer every time, radiating in tandem with the calming music her presence offered. Steven accepted the proximity, loosening his grasp accordingly and moving his own body closer to hers. Their movements stayed simple, but he could feel each step and bow quicken to a comfortable pace. The subtle tide on the shoreline fell away from his ears; all that Steven heard was the sand's movement underfoot, and the sweet, sweet music of his companion.

Amethyst's body mimicked the notes and lulls of their shared tune, perfectly moving alongside Steven's steps and leans. Even as his eyes were closed, Steven could feel her happiness. More than that, he felt… her contentment. She was in a comfortable bliss, not once worried about the state of Steven, but rather grateful that she could give him this moment. Her experiencing the moment herself was something she also seemed grateful for. In turn, Steven's grin widened, the boy more than happy to offer a rebuttal to the sincerity of her care. He gripped her more securely, now listing his head in tune with the music he felt permeating his chest. Amethyst moved closer still, almost resting her body into his.

For a brief moment, the music slowed. Steven followed after, leading Amethyst into the more careful movements their dance had not seen before. She complied. The atmosphere of her being grew curious, but she trusted Steven enough to follow him. She trusted him enough for… anything, really. Such was the connection that their music granted. Each step was cautious, purposeful without being too overt or commanding. One of Steven's hands loosened from Amethyst's entirely, trailing from her forearm to her shoulder with a grasp as gentle as a feather. Amethyst reciprocated the movement. Her breath tickled his nose, but he kept his eyes closed.

Then, still slow with the music's pace, Steven moved his hand under Amethyst's shoulder. He gently slid his hand to her back, gliding across the cloth of her tank-top and feeling the soft stands of her hair over his arm. Understanding him, she moved her feet just an inch from his, pressing into Steven and swaying with his soft movements. Their dance slowed further still, each note bringing them closer and closer as they bowed and stepped. Listening to the tune, Steven took one last step in the sand before leaning forwards towards Amethyst. She leaned backwards in response, though it wasn't to create any real distance. Instead, the Gem's shift in weight followed after their tune like Steven's, and she gave her balance to him. More than the warmth of her breath, he felt the warmth of her face.

Their music paused for a moment. It wasn't replaced by the usual sounds of the beach, the world returning to the quiet that preceded their dance. Then, still frozen in his position with his partner, Steven allowed himself to open his eyes.

Amethyst stared back. The deep blue of her irises were locked into his, a combination of hesitation and anticipation flooding her eyes. They sparkled with enough stars to rival the sky's. A deep violet settled on her cheeks, heating her skin further in an obvious blush that the bangs of her silver hair couldn't hope to cover up. Her mouth hung open ever-so-slightly in a matching kind of awe. She was silent, not moving an inch to or from Steven, her body still pressed against his. He could only assume his features matched hers. All he could give was an awed stare back. Amethyst's hand, moved to his back since she mirrored him, loosened before gently sliding under his arm. Then she brought her hand to his face, gently resting her palm on his cheek. Her thumb absentmindedly moved over a few locks of his curly hair.

In the next second, she moved her lips to his. She was slow, as purposeful as their music in her kiss. Steven, though initially surprised, felt his eyelids grow heavy once again at the luscious contact. He used his natural lean to his advantage, accepting and reciprocating the touch of her lips. Having the one arm around Amethyst helped in bringing her closer. Still, he was careful in his movements, trying to avoid getting caught up in the enticing softness. Amethyst tilted her head slightly to the side, straightening her back upright to lean into Steven. Her outstretched hand loosened, and she removed the grasp to move it towards Steven's back. Their kiss was far from intense, though that wasn't to say it wasn't passionate. Enveloped in the other, each Gem maintained their contact, enraptured in the blissful contentment they offered.

Then, after a few seconds, they gently pulled away. Steven still kept his hand on Amethyst's back as the sounds of the shore returned to his ears. She maintained a similar position, only moving the hand from his face after a brief pause. Her eyes, though staring into his again, now held far more ardor in their blue than before. Steven could feel enough of his own expression to know he still mirrored Amethyst in that regard. Nodding to himself, Steven forced himself to let go of his companion after some time. Carefully, he moved his hands to his side, stepping away slowly, still caught up in Amethyst's gaze. She took a step or two back herself, unable to say a word.

Never before had Steven seen that side of Amethyst. Fittingly, he had difficulty in coming up with an idea on what to say.

"Amethyst…" was the first word that left his mouth. The name held a staggering amount of purpose despite Steven not knowing what purpose his voice served. "I… that was…"

The Gem blinked to herself. Then, some wall of reality seemed to slam into her, and she recoiled with a startled gasp. She took another step backwards into the water of the sea, bringing a hand to her mouth. Unlike her usual nature (though that was currently being re-evaluated by now) she was utterly quiet, a frightening amount of regret in her eyes.

"I-I didn't… I thought-" she attempted to say. Total remorse permeated her tone. The Gem remained frozen by some inexplicable guilt. "Sorry. I'm really, _really_ sorry, I just-"

The authenticity of her apology forced movement out of Steven. Worried, he stepped towards her, reaching a firm hand to hers. Hopefully his grip wasn't too excessive.

"It's okay," he hastily assured, raising a defensive palm with his other arm. Amethyst didn't seem convinced by his assurance right away. All that Steven assumed would help his case was to repeat himself. "It's okay, Amethyst."

Still frozen, Amethyst eyed him for a few more moments. Some of her tenseness left, though the grip around her palm let Steven know she wasn't entirely relaxed. He wasn't that relaxed either, but he certainly wasn't on edge or startled. It was more like he was… eager, in a way. Excited, even. For what, he had no idea. Calming Amethyst was his number one priority, though, so he put off on "what came next".

"You don't have to apologize," he told his friend, taking a cautious step closer to her. Maybe calling her a friend no longer told the whole story, but that much hadn't been lost, obviously. After a brief sigh, Amethyst shook her head, likely trying to clear it. Steven didn't blame her for being so confused, given the past dozen or so minutes. He spoke slowly, as gradual as the change in Amethyst's expression. "I think… I would've done the same thing."

That seemed to calm Amethyst enough. At the very least, she no longer seemed to regret her actions. Cautiously, Steven reached towards her other palm, gripping it gently and moving just a handful of inches towards her. She reciprocated the movement, leaving less than a foot between them. A pleasing smile began creeping up on her features.

"So…" she let out, the usual scratch of her voice returning, "I just beat you to the punch, then, huh?"

Steven let out a brief laugh at his companion's casualness. She could've been asking confirmation as well as joking simultaneously.

"Yeah," he affirmed, grateful for Amethyst in ways he'd only begun to understand, "You did."

Some laughter from Amethyst persuaded Steven to grin further. The lapping of ocean water accompanied their chuckling for a few moments, each Gem more than content to simply enjoy the other without words. "Content" was a good way to describe the smile on Amethyst's features. Feeling the same, Steven let out a relieved breath of air. His mood had improved considerably since he first came to the beach.

"I think I'm ready to talk to you guys, now," he admitted, now calm. Amethyst hummed, looking to her feet for a moment in some sort of contemplation. Steven didn't get the idea she was eyeing how soaked his sandals had become from the tide and wet sand.

"Or we can stay here," he quickly offered, raising a cautionary palm. "If you want. And, y'know…"

The young Gem shrugged, not saying much more. Of course, Amethyst's sly expression told him he'd conveyed enough. A faint rosiness deepened the violet of her cheeks, much less intense than Steven's reddened face.

"And make out?" she bluntly remarked. _There_ was her usual tone. Steven's cheeks grew warmer as he shrugged again, obviously foreign to the idea. He didn't say much in response, though. Laughing again, Amethyst shook her head.

"Believe me, I'm all for that," she admitted. "But… if you're ready, we should head back to the others. They're pretty darn worried about you. _I_ definitely was."

She had a point. Humming, Steven nodded, turning a little towards the more-or-less hidden entrance to they'd come through. "Right," he agreed, understanding Amethyst. "We can go, then."

He didn't mean for it to show, but a sliver of discontent worked its way into Steven's voice. It certainly wasn't anything with ill-intent or obliviousness to Pearl and Garnet's care. He _did_ want to talk to his family. Just that he also wanted to spend some time with Amethyst, now more than ever before. Wanting to do both ensured some level of regret regardless of his choice. Amethyst took a step or two past him with a snort, probably hearing the minor version of frustration his tone gave off.

"There's always later, y'know," she told him coyly. Revitalized by the reminder, Steven followed after her lead. A droning noise underfoot attracted his gaze to Amethyst's feet, letting him see the flash of white around them before a familiar pair of boots returned to her legs. Under those were the copious footprints now splayed in the sand underfoot, a deceptively random collection of imprints. Maybe they'd still be there by the time Amethyst and he returned.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hope you've enjoyed! See you around! :D


	8. Fragile

**A/N:** This one is a bit of an AU, but I trust you can use your context clues to figure it out. Nothing excessively different from the show. You're a smart one, you'll piece it together. As always, thanks for readin'!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Fragile_

 _Now having more in common with each other than ever before, the two Gems discuss exactly how mortality affects more than just one person._

The room was larger than he thought it'd be. Not something so grand or huge, but still big enough to comfortably fit two mattresses and an adequate television against one wall. Steven's father had been adamant about finding the "average-ist" hotel he could, to which Steven had appreciated. The more normal, the better, if only for how it helped to return to the daily familiarity that had long since become alienated. And darn if the hotel room didn't seem normal enough.

There were the usual furnishings most people would find inhabiting a hotel room. A few paintings dotted the white-plastered walls. The ceiling fan creaked ever so slowly, matching the subtle hum of the heater to Steven's left. Some stars shined through the clouds outside, and it might've even been worth getting up to see directly. Still, Steven had decided to close the shutters over the windows of the room. Beach City was a nice enough place, sure, but after everything that's happened over the past few days, forgetting about the world and relaxing alone was a good decision to make.

Well, "alone" wasn't entirely true. Though the bed next to his wasn't occupied, the running shower heard in the bathroom a few yards away ensured that Amethyst was still okay with sharing a room with him. Steven didn't give the idea much thought, trying to get comfortable under the sheets of his bed and not succeeding. Too much was on his mind to take the hotel's comforts so easily. With all that's happened in the past few days, returning to something as normal as sleeping was rendered difficult. The worst part was how most of what's happened didn't entirely involve him.

It did, really, but his failure to be directly affected meant he was more than _indirectly_ affected. Like he avoided the consequences of a crime he himself owned up to.

Humming, Steven sat up in bed, scratching his neck. One consequence was evident, though. There wasn't much light offered to see himself, but Steven's eyes had long ago adjusted to the dimness and could see his pajamas well enough. He carefully pulled apart the top-most button, looking down at the bare skin of his chest. A lighter line ran just next to his sternum, about two inches long and infinitely thin. He wanted to think of the damage as superficial. Before he could try convincing himself for the fifth time, the faint rushing of water behind the bathroom door stopped.

Steven closed his pajamas back up over the next few seconds, lying back under the sheets. He watched the bathroom door under the covers for an extra minute or two.

A faint ray of light streamed in from the bathroom, and Steven looked towards it to see Amethyst's silhouette standing against the brightness. In another moment, she shut the light off, giving Steven a clearer view of her features. Her once lavender skin now had a deep almond hue, dark and subtle in the night. In a similar effect, her chosen attire had altered to a muted, mauve tank-top alongside some darker shorts for the late hour. The only thing that might've shone prominently regardless of the light offered was the white of her hair, and that had long since changed to reflect a charcoal black. Not to mention how much more youth the recent changes to her appearance had added up towards.

Steven had the idea that if he wasn't so unsuccessful in relaxing, he might've openly acknowledged comparing her look to that of a pretty teenager, if only because of how well the changes of color accentuated her features.

Or, to put it bluntly, Steven _did_ think she looked like a pretty teenager. Beautiful, even, in her tomboyish way. The description made sense to him.

Amethyst held one hand on the door frame in some nervous hesitation. Even from the distance of ten or so feet, seeing the uncertainty of her expression wasn't that difficult. Her eyes were directed downwards like they were weighted by a ball and chain. She didn't move to her own bed at first; instead, the Gem took a few steps around the white mattress she earlier claimed for herself.

Amethyst strode to the side of Steven's bed, silent and slow. He watched her in a matching quiet. Barely, he could see a hesitant frown adorn her features as she grew closer. She paused before sitting gently on the bed, just a foot or two from where he lay. Then she noticed Steven looking at her in the dark, her eyes widening a fraction. Steven rose an intrigued eyebrow.

After a brief moment, she gave a small wave to him. His hand rose from the bedsheet momentarily to offer a wave back. She let out a tentative "H-hi," before clearing her throat. Her tone was too apprehensive for Steven to deem it purposeful, though he didn't prod about that.

"You, uh, mind if I crash here tonight?" she asked, her voice a careful whisper. Rather than the usual scratch of her laid-back tone, her words carried an air of seriousness. She didn't expand on her request. Steven looked at her for a second, unable to convey an answer while she glanced at her own bed across from his. She tried clearing her throat again, though her tone didn't change all that much. "Still a little rattled after today. Y'know, since I can die and all."

Another pause. Amethyst seemed to recoil upon realizing what she said.

"Smooth as sandpaper," Steven heard her mutter. Even in the dark of the hotel room, he could see his companion bite her lip with a shake of her head.

"No," Steven eventually answered, "It's okay. I don't mind." His own voice carried an air of quiet severity. He waved for her to come over, scooting to make space for her. The now-empty impression in the bed was conveniently the right size.

Amethyst didn't move right away, despite Steven's answer. She continued looking at him in silence, ever so slightly tilting her head. Her face seemed to physically darken a tad, as though a red rose to her cheeks. The room's darkness made it hard to tell. Then, the Gem nodded, carefully moving towards the head of the bed and crawling under the sheets. Every one of her movements seemed a little anxious, making Steven anxious himself. Unconsciously, he shifted the collar of his pajamas.

She lay next to him, not saying anything and staring up at the ceiling above them for some time. Now that Steven was closer, he could see that the darker color of her face must've been her recently gained freckles. Still, he wasn't sure. It wasn't the most pressing of matters at the moment, anyways. He moved closer to his already close friend, trying to gauge her expression. More than anxious, she seemed… unsettled.

"It's…" Amethyst eventually breathed out, visibly distressed. The Gem shook her head slowly, like she was disappointed in herself. Worried, Steven moved a bit closer, feeling his knee come into contact with hers under their blanket. She looked to him for help. It was difficult to tell whether her quiet was due to not knowing what she wanted to say, or not wanting to say it. Steven said it for her.

"…scary," he finished. Amethyst thought over the word for a few seconds. Then, she let herself digest it, leaning back into the soft pillow behind her head. A weathered sigh escaped her lips.

"Yeah," she agreed, nodding. "It is scary."

Feeling her fear, Steven moved his hand under the blanket for hers. He grasped it lightly, finding the warmth of her skin reassuring to him. Amethyst seemed to think something along those lines, gently curling her fingers around his with a soft grasp. They shared the contact in silence for a short while. Amethyst spoke again, briefly glancing at the shuttered windows across the room.

"It's sort of like a wake-up call," she admitted. Carefully, she moved a bit closer to Steven, turning her head to face him and causing some of her messy hair to fall over her cheek. She moved the ebony locks as she spoke, her voice quiet. "Going for thousands of years without having to worry about eating or getting scuffed up… I just thought it was fun. But now…"

She closed her eyes for a moment, shifting the pillow under her head a little. After a couple seconds, her eyes opened with a freshly renewed honesty. "Now that I don't got a choice, it's like _anything_ can make me poof. Or… y'know. Mess me up."

Steven nodded, gripping her hand more securely. On some concerned instinct, he used his free hand to move the blanket over them better. It couldn't match the warmth from Amethyst's hand, he found. Her eyes were locked onto his, the deep blue almost sparkling with emotion.

"Lets you know what can really happen," she gradually drew out, shaking her head. A few locks of her hair tickled Steven's cheek. "Plus, bein' so fragile kinda makes you notice a lot more stuff. Like how much getting punched in the face really hurts."

Steven nodded, listening to his companion. It wasn't every day she spoke so openly about a genuine fear, but in the light of recent events, her honesty wasn't the most unusual occurrence. Steven offered what support he could. Amethyst thought to herself for a couple seconds, like she was trying to parse her phrasing correctly. There wasn't much that could've been called wrong, though Steven gave her time anyways.

"This whole mortality thing really… opens your eyes, I guess." The Gem broke away from Steven's gaze to look back upwards. She lifted her free hand from the covers, raising it high into the air above her and spreading her fingers outwards. Steven followed her hand, the deep color of her skin almost invisible against the dimness of the night. "Makes you look at what's really important."

Silently, Amethyst closed her hand into a loose fist before bringing it to the Gem of her chest, careful and purposeful like a feather in the air. She returned her eyes to Steven's with equal care and purpose. He stared back, at a loss for words. Some undefinable characteristic from his companion brought heat to his cheeks, if only for a moment. It wasn't that bothersome, though. Almost as comfortable as the bed they lay on.

"What about you?" Amethyst asked Steven, her tone remarkably earnest. She shifted onto her side, facing him directly while still maintaining the grasp they shared. Her voice was as gentle as her touch. "How are you holding up?"

A few seconds passed as Steven thought on his answer. He didn't get the idea Amethyst was all that impatient, simply looking at him with such genuine concern that it helped remedy a little of his own fear. Here, alone with her, he allowed himself to avoid any kind of dishonesty.

"I'm scared, too," he whispered. All that accompanied his voice was the subtle creak of the ceiling fan; not a single other sound could be heard. Amethyst's eyebrows lowered, the Gem grimacing as the words tumbled out of Steven's mouth. "A-and, I know I'm not the one that's… turning human, but…"

Uncertain, he trailed off into silence. Amethyst sat up somewhat, pouring whatever attention she didn't already pay towards Steven onto him. A few shuffles could be heard under the blanket as she moved. Her darkened hair might've covered one of her eyes, but the exposed blue Steven could see really did seem to shine in the darkness. It was reassuring. Reassuring enough that Steven heard himself speak without actively thinking.

"I don't want anything to happen to you," he told his companion, distress dripping from his voice. The young Gem sat up, matching Amethyst and tightening his grip on her hand. Barely, he could feel her thumb rub over his knuckles. He leaned forwards as he spoke, hearing more and more emotion wedge itself in his vocal cords as he placed his other hand over the both of theirs. "You… everything feels so different, Amethyst. Not just what you look like. How you _feel_ , to me. How much I…"

For a brief second, Steven paused, his eyes dropping downwards. He could still see Amethyst's expression enough to notice the care in her exposed eye. Some more shuffling underneath the blanket could be heard. Wordlessly, the Gem moved herself closer to him, reducing the distance between them to a handful of inches. Neither of them made a note of her proximity.

"How much you…?" she repeated for him. Her tone matched the concern of her eye perfectly. Shaking his head, Steven looked back up to face her, trying to focus his words.

"I can't let you get hurt, Amethyst." He spoke slowly and cautiously, though that was more to give a better explanation than to watch his phrasing. Being alone with Amethyst meant speaking on instinct was a good thing. She seemed to agree, not moving to interrupt or steer away from what Steven was saying. "It was bad enough when you got poofed before. Waiting for you to come back was… hard. Even if it only took a day or two."

Amethyst gave a small nod. The words sank in like concrete over he next few seconds. Without so much as another word, Steven moved his hand off of Amethyst's and slowly reached towards the crest of her tank top. Both Gems were silent as he lowered it barely more than an inch. A thin line just to the left of her Gem rested above the cloth, a lighter hue to mirror his own scar. The last time they fused left them with more similarities than just hair color.

Steven continued, hearing his voice grow lower and quieter as he returned his hand back over hers. Her grasp seemed tighter than before. "Now, there's no real poofing or regenerating. Now if you get hurt, it's… it's a lot more dangerous. And that _scares_ me."

Something passed over Amethyst's features. An expression of some kind; a touched kind of concern, Steven found himself describing. Amethyst's eyebrows furrowed. Rather than move her tank-top back to its previous position over her exposed scar, the Gem brought a careful hand to Steven's cheek. She caressed his face gently, unable to say much. Her hand felt soft.

"Oh, Steven…" was all he could hear. Even that was almost inaudible, pure candor in his companion's whisper. Steven could feel Amethyst remove her grasp from his, and after a sliver of a pause, she wrapped her arms around him. He reciprocated the embrace, clinging tightly to her. The action was slow and purposeful, reflecting every ounce of care either Gem had for the other. Warmth from her arms spread across his back as she ran a hand through his curly hair. He leaned further into her, intertwining his fingers into her own messy locks, still damp from the shower.

"Promise you won't let anything happen to you," Steven found himself speaking. His voice was hushed, indirectly muffled by the softness of Amethyst's hair. He could feel her legs move against his as she closed her grasp around him. Still, her touch was gentle. "I don't know what I'd do if…"

His voice cracked. Already, Amethyst hummed affirmation, calmly shushing his doubts. She leaned her head into his, the warmth of her breath washing over his shoulder through the pajamas.

"I promise I won't go anywhere, Steven," she told him quietly. She kept her embrace for a few moments. A slight rub on Steven's back eased some of the tension from him, and he accepted the relaxation, his posture melting into Amethyst's. Something about how comfortably she accepted his weight moved his hand further into her hair, though not to any excessive degree. Amethyst spoke up again in an earnest whisper. "I don't wanna leave you, either. You're nice to be around."

Briefly, Steven could feel Amethyst pause. What little tenseness she'd gained evaporated over the next few seconds. Again, she spoke, her arms still tight around Steven.

"Why d'you think I'm crashing here?" she asked rhetorically. Her tone held a certain sliver of casualness that Steven always loved about her. Whatever apprehension she first had about sharing Steven's bed disappeared as she spoke. It made him feel that much more at ease. "Like it or not, we're sticking together. Always."

That was enough of a pleasant fact that Steven felt his own mouth turn upwards in a small smile. She seemed to have that effect on him, especially now of all times. Just as he moved to reciprocate Amethyst's message, she spoke again, sounding confident.

"I like _being_ together."

Now Amethyst didn't move in the slightest. Neither did Steven, the young Gem frozen by her utterance. It was its authenticity that startled them; not the abruptness of it, nor how much candor Amethyst so suddenly possessed, but how genuine she sounded in the simplicity of her statement. Her following quiet was what persuaded Steven to talk himself.

"I like being together, too," he admitted in a careful tone. Gently, he pulled away from Amethyst, his hands trailing to hers in one fluid motion. She did the same, moving back to face Steven directly. They'd regained a few inches' worth of distance between each other, but feeling the heat emanating from one another still wasn't hard. Feeling the increased heat on Amethyst's face was even less difficult. An unrecognizable silence fell over both Gems as they digested their mutual agreement.

Some moments passed. The deep blue of Amethyst's eye enticed Steven into an awed stare, and she reciprocated his gaze into the dark hazel of his own irises. Neither person dared to say a word. The Gems' expressions matched to a letter, both with an incredulous surprise on their features. Looking so intently at Amethyst made the other features of the night stand out to Steven. The few lights outside their room, the subtle hum of the heater, even the muffled scraps of conversation heard through the walls… and yet none of it could've hoped to match the interest he found in his companion.

No, not interest. To Steven, it felt more like… he was drawn to her, somehow. And she seemed drawn to him, as she remained captivated and focused on his eyes. It was impossible to tell what caused their magnetism exactly. Wordlessly, Steven inched himself just a little closer to Amethyst, still captured in her gaze. He rose a cautious hand from hers, reaching towards her cheek. No resistance was offered as he swept the long bangs of hair from her face, delicate and slow like he was handling glass.

Seeing both of Amethyst's sparkling blue eyes quickened Steven's heart a little. Her expression softened a fraction as a tint of red rose to her cheeks, darkening her freckles further. The sight, among everything else about his companion, warmed Steven's own face. A degree of uncertainty fell across Amethyst's features. Still silent, her posture relaxed ever so slightly, reducing the distance between their foreheads to little more than an inch.

"I like being together," Steven repeated himself. There wasn't any special emphasis or enunciation put into his voice. Rather, it was the caliber of honesty Amethyst held that filled his words. Amethyst's fingers tightened around his, more closely intertwining. Steven spoke slowly and quietly. "A-and, not just 'cause I want to protect you, either."

A grimace settled on Amethyst's features. She nodded in silence, appearing to understand. Barely, she lifted her face just a handful of degrees, eyeing the grasp they shared.

"Steven…" she finally spoke, her voice a whisper. Nothing but pure hesitation permeated her tone. Still, she maintained the short distance between them. Unable to say a word, Steven looked on at Amethyst, his heartbeats steadily rising in his ears. A saddened grin pulled up one corner of her lips as she looked to the side. "Y'know you can do better, right?"

Steven's response was remarkably quick. Something about the disappointment in Amethyst's expression pulled the words straight from his mouth.

"But I love _you_ ," he said back.

Instantly, Amethyst's fallen features shot to his, uncertainty and apprehension making way for surprise. More silence followed. An awe finally settled on Amethyst's features, and she took another few moments to make sure of Steven's statement. His honesty didn't waver, the young Gem giving his companion a determined nod.

Then, savoring each second, he closed his eyes, and risked a lean forwards.

She did the same.

Steven didn't know what he was expecting to feel. Whatever it was, the contact of his mouth against Amethyst's offered a sensation unlike anything he could've imagined. Warmth echoed throughout his body, comfortable heat radiating to and from Amethyst's lips. They were enticing, soft like a marshmallow, warm like the blood in his cheeks. Amethyst's hand gradually moved to the center of Steven's chest, gently pressing against his rapid heart. The rest of her tension melted away as they leaned into each other.

A few moments passed while they allowed each other to be so entranced. Barely, Steven could feel the slightest push from Amethyst as she kept their lips together. Her mouth invited his, carefully deepening their kiss like every moment was a fragile flower. Each second was savored for lifetimes, and though his mind couldn't direct him, Steven let himself be guided by the unknown permeance in his chest. He felt more than the ticklish tinglings running across his mouth and in his stomach; he felt…

Amethyst continued pressing her lips against his, moving forward more confidently. The hand on Steven's chest contracted slightly, gripping it and pulling the boy forwards. He accepted the force, an array of warmth spreading from his companion. Now within a hare's breath of her, Steven leaned just a little closer still, moving his fingers through her hair delicately. Another push from Amethyst's mouth told him she had noticed. He could practically hear her heartbeat through her Gem, and she tilted her head slightly to the side to deepen their kiss further. Steven's lack of experience didn't seem to matter much as she forgave the rest of her restraint and completely relaxed into him. More than warm, the weight of her body leaning into his was addictive. Her lips were even more habit-forming.

That fixation on her lips could've lasted another minute or even another few years. There wasn't much else to gauge any time that passed. Amethyst's mouth stayed pressed up against his alongside a tight grasp as they held themselves close to one another. Eventually, Steven felt their shared pressure let up just a fraction, and he slowly forced himself away. Amethyst seemed hesitant to do the same. Her breathing seemed a bit more rushed than before, as did Steven's. Neither thought to make a note of that. Neither seemed able to say much of anything in the following seconds. Stars shone in each other's eyes, equal parts bright and excited. Whatever needed to be said was already conveyed well enough.

Then, as if nothing ever happened in the first place, Steven allowed himself to fall against Amethyst lips again.

He gripped Amethyst side's more securely, subconsciously moving the fabric of her top just a centimeter upwards and exposing a sliver of deep almond skin. Likewise, the hand on Steven's pajamas moved up to the collar and pulled it as far as the buttons would allow, temporarily relieving the heat Amethyst had initially incited. The pressure from her let up just a tad, and Steven responded by moving his own head forwards to keep their lips together. Amethyst's mouth had graduated from being comfortably warm to enticingly heated. She leaned further backwards; it wasn't as though she was trying to break away from Steven, as her tongue made certain, but she did pull him more and more forwards. On instinct, he used his free hand to support himself upright, the other still gripping the cloth of Amethyst's top.

Then, with one secure pull, Steven fell onto her entirely. The Gem's warmth enclosed his body entirely under the bed's sheets. All Steven could register beyond the incredible feeling that Amethyst gave was a bright light attempting to pierce through his eyelids.

* * *

The evening passed quietly enough after. Some of the other noises of the night died down, leaving only a few snores left to hear. No one else was around to hear them, though. Ironically enough, that didn't mean that Smoky felt alone. They'd probably feel anything except that for a while.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm always hesitant about the execution of these sorts of chapters, especially the endings, hence why this might look a bit familiar to you. If you're interested in this Semi-Human AU I cooked up, go check out _The Human Condition_ by yours truly! It's much more detailed and slow, so y'all can savor the moment a bit more. I'm honestly a bit proud of how that one's turnin' out.

Thanks for reading! Have a good day!


	9. Curiosity

**A/N:** So here's another one of these, alongside the previous chapter that I took down before. More on that below. Hope you like this!

(I don't own Steven Universe)

* * *

 _Curiosity_

" _The movies usually get that part right. It_ is _pretty darn nice. A fun way to show someone how you feel about them."_

"Oh, get _over_ yourself, Garcia," Amethyst drew out, groaning as dramatically as the woman she was reprimanding. Steven feigned a similar groan, rolling his eyes and slouching further into the side of his bed. Garcia's melodramatic faint wasn't exactly a tear-jerker the first time, so seeing her melodramatic faint a _second_ time was even less enjoyable. Not that it was out of place; Rogelio's equally melodramatic reveal of being the ex of the operator's patient felt fitting in a show as dramatic as _Under the Knife_. Amethyst's complaint was just equally fitting. That wasn't to say that she wasn't enjoying herself, nor was that to say that Steven had switched opinions of the show to act "cool". Their combined ragging on the show had turned into something of a fun activity the moment Steven had introduced his companion to _Under the Knife._

They'd first begun a few days ago. After a particularly stressful mission, Amethyst had the good instinct to relax for a few moments and try to forget about the usual worries and/or responsibilities that came with defending Earth from forces both terrestrial and otherwise. Likewise, Steven had felt they deserved a rest after all that had been said and done, and retired to his room. Amethyst had followed him. The two didn't have much of an idea on what could so easily distract from the conglomerate of anxieties being a Crystal Gem brought with the title. That was, until Steven had the good fortune of seeing the pile of old tapes Connie had forgotten to bring back to her house.

Amethyst, of course, saw the weathered boxes alongside Steven. He did his best to explain what he could without spoiling too much about the series. At some undefinable point in the explanation, he realized how unlikely it would've been that Amethyst would enjoy something so remarkably dramatic. Probably around saying "but it was actually her ex posing as the doctor's nurse's brother to get back at the doctor's ex's sister" was where he lost Amethyst. Still, she didn't seem entirely disinterested at the time. A brief shrug later, the Gem had popped the first of the tapes in, and promptly sat at the foot of Steven's bed. Needless to say, he joined her.

What had initially begun as an excitement to get his best friend in on a laughably convoluted television show had turned into an enjoyable effort to make fun of the show. Amethyst was the first to point out its flaw, of course. Well, she pointed out the first one. Mentioning the gap in logic that came with a hospital where relationships came before _actually working as a doctor_ had only been the first of many eye-rolls. Steven didn't feel all that offended by how Amethyst fell into mocking the show's obvious shortcomings. The way he saw it, as long as Amethyst was enjoying it in some regard, then he'd enjoy watching _Under the Knife_ with her. And _boy,_ did she like making fun of the show. The list of plot-holes and poor character decisions was staggering only one episode in, and with every mistake came the usual laughter people make ragging on something with their best friend. It wasn't out of any malicious intent or offended criticism; it was just fun to make fun of it.

Two episodes in, and Steven had decided to join her. There were little comments at first; how his favorite character had somehow completely failed an eye-exam despite also having a job as a prolific taxi driver without glasses. Out of curiosity, Steven had looked up the results stated in the show. He wasn't sure if it was even possible to score that badly without being blind. Of course, Amethyst goaded him on from there, and soon the watchers both new and experienced cut into _Under the Knife_ like… well, a knife. Their session of laughing at the show had lasted much longer than either would've assumed, and by the time night had began gripping at Steven's eyelids, they were already a season and a half in. The following day, it was as though they never stopped in the first place. Just minutes after finishing breakfast, Amethyst was back up in Steven's room, calling him over for another session of _Under the Knife_. Not even a dozen minutes later, she rolled her eyes at Garcia's "character".

"Oh, _Alejandro_ ," she swooned from the television's screen, putting her wrist on her forehead in that dramatic way old actresses did, "was it _worth_ it?"

Steven found himself smirking despite the initial investment he had the first time he'd witnessed such acting. It wasn't exactly graceful, and having his closest companion mention Alejandro's lengthy explanation about how it was absolutely worth it led to more than a few chuckles. Amethyst laughed herself, momentarily leaning to the side of Steven's bed. Steven shook his head, relaxing against the back of the wooden board that supported his mattress.

"It _will_ be," a machismo voice responded, the titular actor thrusting his chest forwards and removing his stereotypical doctor's mirror from his forehead. Garcia swooned again, subsequently leading to a couple more moments of laughing as Amethyst pointed out how visible the boom mic was when it almost bumped into the actress. While the mandatory seconds of dramatic rain passed, Amethyst held out an unopened soda can to Steven.

"Here," she offered. Steven looked at it for a moment, his smile lingering. Amethyst's stayed glued to her features too, the Gem evidently still enjoying the show with her friend. Steven took the drink after another moment, feeling his smile widen.

"Thanks," he granted, waiting for the next disaster of a scene to start. Going by Amethyst's standards, there were plenty of opportunities in this episode alone. Curious, Steven glanced at the soda for another second. He couldn't recall his friend making any sort of visit to the fridge prior. "Where'd you get this, though?"

Amethyst revealed her own gleaming soda can, taking a long swig before lowering it back down to answer. A minor and fittingly unfeminine belch interrupted. She spoke without missing a beat.

"From your secret stash," she told Steven bluntly, her eyes returning to the screen. Steven's own gaze did the opposite, jumping from the drawn-out shot of the hospital to his friend's. She didn't say anything else, amusingly. Amethyst seemed eager to pick on whatever scene came next. Then, with a shrug, Steven popped open the lid, enjoying his own soda. It was the thought of Amethyst's sharing that counted.

Just as he opened his mouth, Amethyst broke out into a sudden laughter, pulling Steven back to the television he missed. Alejandro stared unflinchingly at some point on the horizon, Garcia now in his arms with a dreadfully wistful look on her features. The image's familiarity prevented Steven from being able to match Amethyst's laughter right away. Not for his emotional investment, though.

"They really don't know what overboard means, huh?" Amethyst asked Steven, throwing an elbow out in an in-joke kind of way. Steven chuckled as best as he could, understanding what Amethyst was referring to. More than over-board, the shot on the TV epitomized drama. Between the rain, wind, lighting, candles, and even flowers, saying that the show was being excessive would be a gross understatement. Still, as laughably exaggerated as the current shot was, the performance of the characters left Steven too uncomfortable to really make fun of it. Amethyst, of course, had no issues.

"Annnd they're kissin' now," she said. The Gem brought up her palm, as if checking something off an imaginary list. There really wasn't much else left the show could do to be any more theatrical. Steven stayed quiet as he drank from his soda, allowing Amethyst to fill in over what must've been at least three separate orchestras. "Wow, think they're close enough yet?"

Amethyst eventually heard Steven's silence, glancing at him. He shrugged, rolling his eyes as if to repeat Amethyst's question. She tilted her head in curiosity, but didn't ask Steven about it. Instead, she shrugged herself, looking back to the television. "They're _really_ focusing on that smooching, huh?"

Considering the show's standards, Steven wasn't too surprised at the length of the shot. Not anymore than the first time he saw it. He hummed agreement, drinking from his soda again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Amethyst give him another curious look, humming a little herself. Whatever she had to say about the candles somehow staying lit in direct rain never left her mouth. Instead, she matched Steven's silence, leaning on the board of his bed-box as the shot slowly faded out.

It wasn't that Steven intentionally drove the mood south. Being aware of Amethyst's curiosity didn't give him much incentive to speak, which was ironic considering what was on his mind. Just a question, albeit probably an out of place one. Amethyst didn't take the sudden discomfort too poorly, doing her best to maintain their streak of ragging, but each comically correct sin she granted _Under the Knife_ only made Steven more aware of how difficult he found ignoring his question. A lengthy look from Amethyst finally persuaded him to speak.

"Was that, um, accurate?" he asked, forcing himself to look at the TV. Of course now was the time the show stopped being remotely interesting, making his gaze feel even less natural. It felt plenty unnatural in the first place. Amethyst halted her drinking for a moment, once again tilting her head towards Steven. He hoped he wouldn't have to connect the dots for her. After a brief pause, she asked a question of her own.

"You mean that kissin'?" she began slowly, sounding hesitant to assume much about her companion. Steven rubbed the back of his neck, the rug under his legs suddenly feeling scratchy. He nodded. Amethyst paused again, though the quiet felt more skeptical than contemplative.

"You're asking if _that_ was accurate?" she questioned, laughing somewhat. A mixture of uncertainty and humor dominated her tone. Steven shook his head, attempting to explain himself.

"Not like that," he tried, feeling a light warmth rise to his cheeks. He knew of the show's shortcomings in realism before even really considering them, due in large part to Amethyst. His question had a broader scale. "I mean, like, is it always… dramatic? I don't mean _that_ dramatic, but…"

Steven sighed. The television seemed to grow quieter, as did the ambient noises of the morning beach outside his bedroom window. "They always make it seem like that in movies and TV and stuff. I just don't think it can be like that _every_ time. Can it?"

Amethyst didn't seem to expect Steven's explanation. " _That's_ what you're iffy about?"

It didn't take long for the rest of her attention to move to Steven. The look in her eyes graduated from skeptical to genuinely curious. Steven nodded, humming a quick yes. Whatever apprehension Amethyst had about his sudden shyness left her features in a matter of moments.

"Wow," she said, looking at her soda for a second, "could've sworn you were uncomfortable 'cause you're getting to that…"

Abruptly, Amethyst cleared her throat, facing Steven directly again. He sat patiently, awaiting an answer. Of all the people that he had to ask, Amethyst was probably the last to make much of a big deal about it, hence Steven's willingness to question. Her being one of his best friends also made things a tad easier. Steven always did appreciate how she could treat things so casually, regardless of their scale. Some moments of thought passed, then Amethyst reached towards the television's remote and lowered the volume.

"Nevermind." After a brief hum, she sat up straighter against the makeshift chair that the ground and bed turned into, as if trying to get more comfortable. Her features were equal parts hesitant and thoughtful, which wasn't the most usual expression Steven had seen her with. The Gem moved some of the long bangs from her face as she spoke. "Gonna be honest, I'm probably the least qualified Gem to tell ya about kissing. That's _definitely_ G's department."

Steven blinked. Compared to the mischievous tone she had just a minute ago when she was making fun of _Under the Knife_ , Amethyst could've been a lone middle-schooler forgetting her lines on-stage. Maybe she couldn't switch gears as easily as Steven assumed. Since he expected about the opposite kind of voice, Steven asked another question he could only let out of his mouth in Amethyst's presence.

"Have you, uh, kissed people before?" he asked, unsure of how to interpret Amethyst's caveat. Of course, Amethyst immediately responded with a skeptical snort, rolling her eyes in mock offense.

"I've been around for a while, Steven," she told him, as if she was just asked if her favorite color was purple. Not that she seemed actually offended, but Steven's second question was definitely faster to get a reply than his first. "You think I've _never_ kissed someone in like a bajillion years? Rude."

"I _do,_ " Steven tried explaining. The conversation was taking a remarkably personal turn, but Amethyst genuinely didn't seem offended. More like she was taking advantage of Steven's caution to avoid accidental insult (which, to be fair, was pretty in-line with her usual character). Regardless, Steven clarified what he could without being too overt, the warmth in his cheeks persisting. "I just didn't want to assume."

Amethyst chuckled, evidently enjoying Steven's apprehension to offend. She thought for a moment. Eventually, she breathed out a quick confirmation.

"Yeah," she said, shrugging casually. Steven felt himself relax a tad as Amethyst spoke in her usually easy-going tone. "I've done my fair share o' smoochin'. I was pretty darn good at it. Still am, actually."

Something about how easily Amethyst addressed a topic like kissing eased the rest of the tension from Steven's body. They were just two good friends, talking about something one was genuinely curious about. Nothing felt too awkward to say at the moment. Amethyst continued, reading the conversation well enough to avoid one of her usual jokes in favor of an honest exchange.

"And it's almost _never_ like it is in movies," she told Steven bluntly. He didn't necessarily deflate at the fact, suspecting for a while that it was another thing Hollywood inflated for the theater. Having an experienced companion like Amethyst tell him directly made him more understanding than anything else. Obviously, Steven respected her enough to avoid prodding about details. Hearing about her past partners wasn't something he explicitly fancied, either, though it was difficult to tell why, at first. Almost like a distant form of… resentment, somehow.

An explosion from the TV interrupted Steven's train of thought. Both Gems looked back to the screen, seeing an image of the hospital on fire. Still in a torrential downpour, too. Amethyst raised an eyebrow, muttering some question about what exactly she missed.

"One of the actors fought with the director," Steven passed off casually, "so they had to write him out of the show."

"Ahh," Amethyst breathed out, nodding. Despite the excessive trio of orchestras returning to the TV's speakers, she looked back at Steven, still invested in his question. "But yeah, can't really remember the last time I thought kissing in the middle of some hurricane was a good idea. They just play it up for kicks."

 _Under the Knife_ was a prime example of "playing it up", so Steven wasn't all that surprised. He looked at the television for a few seconds, then spoke up again.

"What's it like?" he asked.

That seemed to be pushing the envelope. Amethyst paused, raising an eyebrow to Steven's curious features. She didn't react to his question right away, either thinking or giving Steven time to realize what he asked. With how trivial their conversation felt, he didn't realize how out of bounds he just was until after the fact. In the next second, Steven apologized.

"Sorry," he said, shaking his head. The heat on his face expanded, matching the awkwardness he earlier assumed was nonexistent. Between that and his arguably boyish curiosity, the only thing that he could confidently say was an apology. "I didn't mean to make it weird."

A laugh left Amethyst's lips, though it wasn't explicitly derisive or mocking. It sounded aptly casual. She moved herself a bit closer to Steven's side, the confusion on her face making way for an easing expression as she placed her soda on the bedroom floor.

"You're good," she laughed off, patting his shoulder. She wasn't all that off-put by how awkward Steven thought he made their conversation. Now she seemed as casual as she was a moment ago, like Steven's question was as normal as a question on her favorite type of soda (though he already knew it was the one she just put down). "Trust me, I had my own questions 'bout kissing, and that was _without_ that awkward 'pew-ver-key' humans get."

A confused frown forced Steven's eyebrows downwards. It took a few seconds to process what Amethyst was talking about. "I don't think that's how you pronounce—"

"The movies usually get that part right," Amethyst interrupted, shrugging. Steven was more interested in Amethyst's answer than correcting her, so he fell into an attentive quiet. Just like before, she seemed to treat his curiosity in stride. "It _is_ pretty darn nice. A fun way to show someone how you feel about them."

Steven nodded. That part was easy to understand. Given his past observations with Ruby and Sapphire, it seemed like more than just something couples did. Like it was a way of talking, almost. Amethyst confirmed as much, now moving an elbow to the mattress behind her in a lazy lean.

"And, yeah, it can get a little intense," she told Steven honestly, "but it ain't like stuff gets lost in translation."

Though a little more vague, Steven thought he understood that part, too. Amethyst's laid-back tone had its own way of communicating to him. She glanced at him, seemingly checking if her explanation was satisfactory. Getting an honest answer instead of a diversion or unhelpful silence was appreciated enough. Unexpectedly, Amethyst asked a question of her own, now raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"Any one reason you're gettin' curious?" she inquired. Her voice had the exact tone she used when she already knew the answer to what she was asking, though now it felt more like she knew what she was _implying_ more than anything else. Of course, as honest as Amethyst was about a traditionally more personal topic, Steven couldn't completely hide the red on his cheeks. Amethyst continued, seeing his blush. "Maybe somethin' else you wanna talk about? Or… someone?"

"Um, no," he replied, shaking his head. There wasn't an explicit reason, per se, but there _were_ other topics Steven wanted to keep under wraps. For now, at least. Keeping them from Amethyst was especially important, mostly due to the implications he didn't want to (or rather _couldn't_ ) explain. Out of paranoia, he expanded on his dismissal, subsequently devaluing it. Not that Amethyst probably would've believed him either way. "I was just wondering about that part. If it's always so dramatic, I mean."

"Mhm," Amethyst hummed, looking back forwards. She took a knowing sip of her soda, opting for silence instead of investigating Steven further. He appreciated that part. Still, though she read enough of his curiosity to avoid openly investigating, Amethyst seemed more than a little interested in what Steven was thinking about. Both Gems returned to watching the television. Judging by how Amethyst didn't move to increase the volume or even resume making fun of the show, Steven got the idea there was more she wanted to say. His assumption turned true in a matter of minutes.

"How curious are ya, anyways?" she asked abruptly, feigning a casual tone. Steven glanced at her, his soda frozen an inch away from his mouth. Some curiosity of her own could be seen on her features despite the normalcy of her voice. "Y'know, about kissin'?"

The soda in front of Steven's face didn't move for quite some time. He opted for befuddlement instead of some flustered response, which wasn't particularly difficult to recreate when he genuinely _was_ a little confused. "What do you mean?"

Amethyst snorted, not buying Steven's ignorance. Her question was too simple to cause that much of a misunderstanding.

"Sounded like you never kissed before," Amethyst said, again in her casually blunt tone. To be fair, her assumption wasn't that out of place. Steven's cheeks felt warm anyways. Amethyst chuckled lightly, growing a bit quieter over the next few seconds. "Which, believe me, is fine. You don't strike me as some Casanova-type dude. More like a candle-light kinda guy."

"Well, technically…" Steven tried waving off. They seemed to flip sides, Amethyst asking the questions and Steven more-or-less having to answer them. The one consistency was how easily either person was treating the conversation. "I've, um, kissed before."

"Pfft," Amethyst blew out a skeptical raspberry, rolling her eyes. She seemed too smart to not read between the lines. "Y'know what I mean, Steven. Like a _kiss_ kind of kiss, not for healing or whatever. On the mouth n' everything."

Now that she defined exactly what she meant (though really Steven had understood that part by the first question), he hesitated a moment before shaking his head. Amethyst nodded in response.

"But ya wanted to," she concluded, evidently not needing Steven to answer that one. He sat up straighter, recoiling with a fervent shake of his head. Amethyst raised her arms defensively. "Maybe not that _Connie_ lady _,_ but you've wanted to kiss _someone_ , right?"

Steven's quickness to respond did little to help his case. Mentioning a specific name only made it worse. "No, I can't, uh, think of anyone I'd…"

Given how easily Amethyst was treating the situation, she seemed to take offense to Steven's dismissal. The Gem rolled her eyes again, moving closer towards him. Her knee came into contact with his.

"C'mon, Steven," she pressed, throwing one palm upwards in an easing kind of motion. "It's _kissin'._ There're worse things to feel guilty about."

That was true. Steven stared at his companion for a couple seconds, who still maintained an understanding expression on her features. Amethyst being, for lack of a better description, _herself_ eased Steven enough that his faux denial faded away. The tension in his back evaporated as he conceded.

"…sometimes," he eventually breathed out, rubbing the back of his neck. The crimson in his cheeks felt glued in place. He didn't want to get into the specifics of whom or when, but Amethyst thankfully didn't ask about that. For once, she didn't move to prod Steven about it, instead keeping her role of confidant. It ironically made it both easier and harder to keep quiet.

"Don't gotta give me details," she told him. The Gem moved even closer still, reaching an arm around Steven's shoulders and leaning a little into him. By now, they were about equal in terms of height, leaving Steven a tad closer to her face than expected. She didn't deem it important enough to note out loud, so Steven didn't either. He spoke slowly, explaining further.

"They always made it seem like a big deal, though," he said, motioning towards the television screen. As if to prove his point, two secondary characters (Steven never bothered to learn their names; when a cast was dangerously far into double digits, there's only so many names that can be remembered) were currently locking lips as a raging inferno of a building blazed around them. The boom mic was semi-visible again. "I was asking because, well… I didn't want to mess it up or anything in case it _was_ a big deal."

Amethyst shook her head, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Hollywood, man," she joked. "They ain't exactly known for setting realistic standards."

Steven gave a small laugh in response, naturally taking Amethyst's lean with his subtle own.

"And, hey," Amethyst continued, her tone growing softer. Her grip around Steven's shoulders tightened to pull him inwards. "Normal to be nervous about it, too, Steven. Pretty sure that's par for the course."

They shared a quiet moment for a short while. Abruptly, the Gem cleared her throat. She reached to the side for a moment, grasping the television remote with her free hand. After a glance at the remote's buttons, she pointed it towards the TV, muting the actor's despairing scream into the storm. Steven's bedroom became extremely quiet, the only other noise being the subtle sounds of the tide outside. Curious, Steven looked to Amethyst's features, the Gem appearing fairly nervous for someone that spent so much time recently easing his doubts.

"Now, I ain't trying to assume nothing," she prefaced, her arm still around Steven's shoulder. She still held the television remote in her other hand, laying her arm over an outstretched leg. "But… I'm gonna guess you're real nervous about your _first_ kiss, too? Like, that one specifically?"

Amethyst's hesitation to assume was ironically out of place, considering she'd been right so far. Most of the anxieties Steven had were, according to Amethyst, fairly standard for human people and Gems alike. Plus, Steven doubted that there was much of a difference between his thoughts now and the ones Amethyst had when she was still foreign to kissing. He hummed a brief yes, part of him wondering if there was a point or direction Amethyst was going.

"Hm," she hummed again, placing the remote to her side and drumming her fingers against her knee. A fraction of doubt settled underneath her features. Obviously, Steven trusted her enough to take whatever she said next with confidence.

"You wanna kiss right now?" she asked him.

Steven's features didn't move for a couple seconds. The most he did in response to Amethyst's question was blink, his brain still processing what she said. Somehow, the surrounding quiet amplified his inability to reply. Amethyst didn't move herself, still looking expectantly towards Steven's face as his mind refused to function. Then the Gem cleared her throat, reiterating her question.

"Did'ya hear me?" she asked, tilting her head. Apparently, the blank expression on Steven's face gave her little to interpret. "I was asking if—"

"Y-yeah!" Steven tried waving off, eventually finding the words to speak out of sheer instinct. Then he realized what he implied by the surprise on Amethyst's face, forcing more words out of his mouth. "I-I mean, _yes_ , I did hear you— I wasn't saying _yeah_ to what you asked— but, um, I'm not saying _no,_ either—"

Before he could dig himself a deeper hole, Amethyst broke out into a loud laughter, her scratchy chuckling interrupting Steven's flustering. It thankfully meant he could stop speaking. Though, he had to blame Amethyst for his inability to speak in the first place, so the whole thing kind of balanced out.

"Oof, yeah," she drew out between laughs, shaking her head. Though there was a familiar amount of humor in her features, Steven found it impossible to ignore the slightly darker tint of violet adorning her cheeks. She spoke before he could think much more about it. "You're a nervous _wreck,_ dude."

"Wreck" was a bit much, Steven thought. Then again, he had to compare his anxiety now with how at ease Amethyst had allowed him to feel earlier through mere honesty. Subsequently, he also had to remember Amethyst was part of the reason the awkwardness had caught up in the first place.

"Well, you asked if I wanted to kiss!" Steven tried defending himself, making an attempt to cross his arms. Years of experience let him know that faking seriousness wasn't one of his strong suits. "I wasn't— _nobody_ expects that, Amethyst!"

Amethyst only chuckled again, obviously enjoying Steven's reaction. As opposed to her usual teasing, though, it didn't seem like her laughter now had any mischievous intentions or origins. Like she was laughing with Steven instead of at his misfortune. He wasn't laughing himself, but he'd be lying if he said the casual attitude Amethyst maintained hadn't lifted some of his anxieties.

"Eh," she told him, shrugging. Leaning against him made his own shoulder raise as an effect. "Couples usually get used to that. From my experience, it's pretty normal to ask."

Amethyst went quiet after her admittance. Steven didn't have much of a response, so he did his best to assess his friend's features instead. She wasn't explicitly nervous, but there was some uncertainty in there. What she'd said about couples seemed to leave her with some kind of doubt. The rolling screen of credits she was looking at on the television's screen wasn't that interesting, unless she was reading the copious amount of typos.

"Or… y'know, just _really good_ friends," she clarified, her tone losing its casual nature for a moment. "They can ask, too." Her voice was nearly a whisper, she'd muttered the words so quietly. Regardless, she shook her head, looking back to Steven. The subtle violet on her cheeks hadn't left yet. "It doesn't have to mean nothin'."

The Gem hesitated again before continuing. "I ain't asking to marry ya. Just thought you'd like the practice without all the awkwardness of it being for real."

So that was Amethyst's intention. For some reason, her asking Steven if he wanted to kiss held a lot more importance than she gave it, at least to him. Something about smooching his best friend should've been important, somehow. At the same time, it was pretty clear Amethyst didn't attribute much, if any, romantic implications on the relationship they already had with each other. The fact probably should've relaxed Steven, but he found himself oddly neutral about it. As neutral as one can be about being offered to kiss their best friend without having to really explain or give reasoning to it.

Now that he'd gotten time to think, Steven would've assumed he could've answered by now. He was wrong. The Gem didn't exactly become flustered again, but he still hesitated. There were so many complications and implications that he wasn't sure what Amethyst wanted, if she even did, him to answer. Not to mention what their obvious gap in experience left him feeling.

"I-I don't know, Amethyst," he answered honestly. As much as he appreciated his companion's ease in what she offered, Steven just couldn't treat it with as much triviality. That said, he wasn't explicitly denying Amethyst, either, leaving her with a frown on her face. Amethyst shook her head in a vague expression of annoyance. She let out a short huff of air, a sigh bordering on a groan.

Then, in one swift motion, she ducked her head towards Steven, planting her lips on his for little more than a second or two.

The action was so quick that he wasn't even sure if it'd happened. One moment he was attempting to register what his mouth was telling him, and the next, Amethyst pulled away, facing forwards again like nothing ever happened. Still, the lingering feeling on his lips let him know enough to understand what Amethyst had just done.

"There, see?" she told him, her voice almost smug of an "I told you so" attitude. If Steven still wasn't recoiling, he would've noticed the subtle shake in her tone. "Just a normal kiss between buds. Nothin' intense or anything."

The first thing to leave Steven's mouth wasn't really what he was expecting.

"I-I wasn't ready!"

Amethyst recoiled herself from the reaction, widening her eyes at how explicitly upset Steven was for not being told in advance. She _did_ seem to hear how he had more issues with being unprepared than being kissed in the first place. As a result, a sly grin cemented itself on her features.

"Sorry," she apologized, letting out a few soft chuckles. The Gem cleared her throat, sitting upright and adjusting her arm around Steven. Something about it felt warmer than before, though that simply could've been the heat of Steven's face. Now a bit less hesitant, he listened intently to Amethyst's next question. "Want a do-over?"

Compared to the first offer he received, Steven was much faster to reply. That said, he still hesitated for a moment, but at least he actually got a proper answer out. He hummed a rushed confirmation, deciding to treat the situation as Amethyst did. They _were_ just two buddies, casually… kissing. If Amethyst deemed it normal, then it was normal enough for him (despite most of his logical thought understanding something else was probably at work, given his readiness to trust Amethyst).

Now that she was given a real confirmation, Amethyst was much slower to lean towards Steven's face. It was a daunting enough sight to get Amethyst to pause, the Gem likely reading his nervousness. Her features softened. Noticing as much was easy enough when they dominated most of Steven's field of vision.

"Hey, I ain't expecting much from ya," she told him, quieter now that she was closer to his face. After a brief pause, Steven nodded, swallowing his paranoia. This was Amethyst, who routinely associated failed pranks as mild successes regardless. She spoke again softly, returning to the easing tone she had earlier. "And besides, this ain't your first kiss anymore, remember?"

That was technically true enough for Steven to take the fact with certainty. He hummed, then allowed Amethyst to continue her lean. Something about the sight was incredible enough to persuade Steven to try and lean forwards himself. Time slowed down for a moment, and he closed his eyes.

All the confidence in the world couldn't prepare for bumping his nose into hers.

Both Gems recoiled from the impact, one of which hit his head back into the wood of the bedbox he sat against.

"Sorry, sorry!" Steven fervently apologized, seeing Amethyst rub her nose with a minor groan. He raised a defensive hand out of panic, stuttering over another couple of apologies. He wasn't exactly prepared for what a readier kiss entailed, much less what could've gone wrong. His face practically burst into flames like a short-circuiting toaster from sheer embarrassment. Amethyst only laughed in response, halting the dozenth apology Steven tried to give in half as many seconds.

"You're—" she tried saying, interrupted by her own chuckling. It was a far cry from the drastically offended reaction Steven would've expected. Briefly rubbing her nose, she shook her head, doing her best to suppress her scratchy laughs. "It's fine, Steven. Practice makes perfect, n' all that junk."

Steven hesitated. "Right…" he said quietly, taking a moment to appreciate just how easy going Amethyst could be at times. She didn't seem the slightest bit put-off at Steven's inability to kiss. If anything, his brief blunder persuaded her to take a slower approach.

"Could give you some pointers, though," she told him, leaning back forwards so their noses were less than an inch or two away from each other. Thankfully, hers didn't seem bruised. Seeing the round features of his companion's face so close again threatened to speed up Steven's heart further. Her soft tone wasn't helping. "Here, turn your head just a little…"

Gently, Amethyst brought up an open palm, placing it on Steven's chin. She faintly pushed it at an angle, inciting him to tilt his head like she'd instructed. Sitting so remarkably close to her made him hesitant to move. Still, there was some combination of eagerness and trust in Amethyst that allowed him to follow her example without too much trouble. Now in a more practical position, Amethyst gave a hint of a nod out of approval. Then, like before, she closed her eyes and leaned towards Steven's face, noticeably more forwards with her mouth. He reciprocated, equally more confident and less forceful.

Their lips touched like a pair of feathers. Amethyst's hand was still on his chin, her palm as soft as the kiss she offered. It was definitely more purposeful than the lightning-fast peck she first gave Steven. Amethyst pushed herself somewhat further into Steven after a moment or two, either testing the limits on what Steven was prepared for or simply "getting into it". Her leg moved over his as the arm around his neck gradually loosened, allowing him to inch a tad closer out of his own accord. Their lips felt locked together. Then, just as Steven grew semi-accustomed to the warmth his friend's mouth offered, Amethyst let up just a fraction. She pulled away after another moment, but not before an obvious hesitation. Steven tried to not let his disappointment show too openly. He opened his eyes, straightening his neck and leaning back again.

Despite her assurance at how casual their kiss was supposed to be, Amethyst's cheeks were nearly glowing from the deepened violet in them. Her expression told a different story, albeit a vaguely surprised one. Steven stared in awe as she relaxed, her leg still over his.

"…uh," she began, thinking for a moment. Considering her first advice, Steven expected some more tips or some such on what he could improve upon. He didn't trust himself to recall their kiss accurately enough to understand his shortcomings on his own, especially given his inexperience. It all kind of… blurred together. Amethyst stared at some point on the horizon before seemingly remembering what she offered in the first place. After clearing her throat (twice), she looked back to Steven, still blushing considerably underneath the long bangs of her silver hair.

Steven waited patiently for her to say something. He was still too caught up in their kiss to ask about it directly. In front of him, the television automatically started the next episode of _Under the Knife,_ but it was still too muted to accrue much attention. Now more than ever. Amethyst only spoke four words, as though _she_ was still caught up in their accurately named "practice kiss".

"Well, that was… good."

That wasn't the assessment Steven was expecting. After a brief delay, Amethyst seemed to realize her words, clearing her throat a third time in an attempt to sound a bit more professional. She had as much success with faking professionalism as Steven did with faking seriousness.

"I mean," she began, now somehow appearing nervous regardless of her efforts. _She_ was supposed to be the confident one, if only due to her own experience. "I ain't lying or anything, it really wasn't bad for your second kiss _ever._ Just…"

She paused. "…definitely not what I was expecting."

Steven paused himself, still unsure how to take the description. Amethyst's tone made it seem like a compliment, but being too wary of his own inexperience left Steven feeling like he could do better. Something about the prospect of practice encouraged his eagerness, in a way. As though he was now trying to _impress_ Amethyst more than anything else. Steven thought to make the correction that he'd be trying to impress _anyone_ he decided to share a kiss with, but right now, the clarification was redundant.

"Is that, uh..." he started out slowly, watching Amethyst's features. The Gem seemed lost in her own thought. "Is that a good thing?"

There was a hefty delay before Amethyst seemed to hear him. After another moment of thought, she shook her head, likely trying to phrase herself better. The subtle surprise left her expression over the next few seconds, as did the intensity of her blush. Part of it lingered, though, as subtle as the bewilderment she had following their technically second kiss.

"Yeah," she answered Steven, looking back to him. Her eyes seemed brighter than usual, like they were recently invigorated by a good nap or successful mission. They matched her tone perfectly. "I'd say that's a _real_ good thing."

After a brief smile, Amethyst attempted to backpedal on her voice, probably noticing how awestruck she was. Steven's curious expression hastened her retreat. While more than proud at Amethyst's assurance, he still wasn't that informed on what exactly he ought to focus on in terms of kissing. It took another second or two for his companion to recall that was supposed to be their primary reason for even locking lips in the first place.

"Like, I was right about the candle-light thing," she described, now leveling her voice. She was still nearly on top of Steven, either not noticing or caring enough to move back to a normal sitting position. "More… _passionate_ than intense, y'know? You get into it without really pushin' it."

Steven nodded, both proud and relieved. Even as far as practice kisses go, Amethyst sounded impressed by his performance. That was an especially good thing when Steven noted he acted more out of instinct than active thought. Amethyst, after moving just a fraction back towards her original position next to Steven, let out a small chuckle.

"Honestly, that's the best kinda kisser," she added, moving a couple more bangs of hair from her face. Steven didn't exactly stiffen at being called "the best kind of kisser", but his eyebrows did elevate themselves in surprise. That was definitely a title to be proud of, and it being granted by someone as close as Amethyst only made him feel better. Somehow, his earlier apprehension now seemed nonsensical over the span of a few minutes. Amethyst noticed as much. "Dunno why you were so nervous about it. You're dang near perfect, man, right outta the gate."

"Wow," Steven let out, his eyebrows still elevated. More than pride, he felt an odd sense of accomplishment at being called almost perfect, like most of his experiences with Amethyst led up to this level of ease they could share together. Two best friends sharing an enjoyable moment together without all the awkwardness or complications kissing brings with it. Steven found himself smiling, though still had another question to ask his experienced companion.

"Is there a way I can get better?"

The exact way he asked was difficult to pin down. Part of his tone was genuinely curious, but some of his pride lingered, making Steven's question sound particularly knowing. His voice mimicked how Amethyst had "asked" about his kissing anxieties earlier. Amethyst seemed able to read as much, a coy smile returning to her expression over the next few seconds. She didn't move away from Steven despite her extreme proximity, her face still just a handful of inches from his. She answered in her own Amethyst-y way, with a grin of her own and a comically low tone.

"Lemme check again," she told Steven, purposefully pushing her forehead to his. It was more like she laid her head forwards rather than pressed against him. Steven, though surprised at the contact, could tell her movement was to make sure of his permission. She wasn't about to put her lips to his without a confirmation on his end. Needless to say, tilting his head again was all the confirmation Amethyst needed.

Just like before, the Gem's soft lips fell against his, somehow even gentler than the first (or technically second) time. Steven felt an odd combination of sensations as he returned the kiss; he definitely felt more aware than in their first real kiss, but he also felt just as impulsive. In a good sense, at least. The matching warmth of Amethyst's mouth sped up his heart again. Tentatively, Steven felt himself slowly raise a hand to Amethyst's cheek. She didn't react to his subtle grasp pulling her just a hair closer, either too busy with locking their lips together or simply allowing Steven to move out of his own accord. Her own hands steadily laid themselves around to his back, her arms becoming hooked around him. There was a definite gentleness in how she moved.

Then, like they were waking up from a pleasant dream, each Gem pulled away again. Steven wasn't as dissatisfied as he was when their first proper kiss ended, though some part of him still wanted to continue sharing the moment with Amethyst. More out of earnest eagerness than feeling unfinished this time around. Amethyst was even slower to move from Steven, leaving her arms around his neck. She wasn't _necessarily_ awestruck, but there was some kind of sparkle in her eyes Steven could only match to the same light earlier. Being lucky enough to cause the shine was more than a proud achievement to him. Amethyst made no effort to hide her obvious enjoyment as she spoke.

"Yeah," she said, quietly. Steven noticed his hand was still on her cheek after a considerable delay, and moved his palm away with a slightly darker blush. "I… really dunno what you can do better, Steven. You're just… the best."

Abruptly, Amethyst coughed, though still didn't move from Steven. "At, uh, kissin', I mean."

Among all the things Steven had the good fortune of feeling, from the pride of impressing his best friend to the incredible sensation Amethyst's lips had left on his, disappointment wasn't something he expected. Surely having his anxieties about kissing removed so positively was a good thing. It was what Steven said next that made him realize why already running out of advice for kissing was a bad thing.

"So does this mean we don't have to practice kissing anymore?" he heard himself ask, like a child running out of chores to make their parents proud about. His eyebrows furrowed in a grimace. " _Already?_ "

Amethyst laughed in nearly the same second as his discouragement. Under normal circumstances, Steven would've been far more hesitant to so obviously show how upset he was at being unable to kiss his best friend. Their current situation was definitely an exception. Amethyst shook her head, apparently thinking otherwise to what Steven was worried about.

"Nah," she answered casually. The Gem shifted a little, sitting more comfortably in front of Steven and blocking part of the television with her hair. Her expression became familiarly akin to one of a fox. "Never said you were _perfect._ Just real darn close."

The intended message took a while to sink in to Steven's brain. He perked up like an excited pup the moment he understood Amethyst's phrasing.

"And practice makes perfect, right?" he connected the dots. Amethyst simply nodded, her grin widening. Steven's own smile expanded.

* * *

 **A/N: I really want to know what you think. Seriously.** I'll admit it, part of the reason that I take so long to update these is that I don't often assume people notice or are particularly expectant of new chapters. And at the same time, I hate requesting reviews because it makes me feel like a dumb glory-hound who equates numbers with success or a job-well-done when I know that isn't the case. Part of the reason I took down the last chapter was because I honestly thought no one would notice. But here we are, heh.

I do appreciate you taking time to read the stuff my sleep-deprived brain comes up with in the wee hours of dawn. As always, have a great day! :D


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